


it was you that I found

by fonulyn



Series: the pinnacle of self-indulgence (aka my happy place) [1]
Category: Biohazard | Resident Evil (Gameverse)
Genre: Ada is a bit of an asshole sorry, All kinds of smut, Denial of Feelings, Domestic Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Getting Together, M/M, Piers Nivans Lives, Piers is alive and happy and healthy, Post-Resident Evil 6, Semi-Public Sex, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, a whole lot of smut, all the time everywhere, bathroom blowjob lmao, bc apparently that's what my brain wants these two to be doing, casual relationship turned less casual, chris is the best friend, mentions of past Leon/Ada, mushy dates, seriously so self-indulgent you wouldn't believe, ungodly amounts of kissing, vague and not
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-01
Updated: 2020-02-01
Packaged: 2021-02-28 02:08:30
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 23,443
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22506061
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fonulyn/pseuds/fonulyn
Summary: Birthday parties could sometimes be overwhelming, but when Piers sought out a moment of reprieve in the bathroom, he certainly didn’t expect it to turn out this way. (Aka: Best. Birthday present.Ever.) Then again, months later, he’s somehow tumbled into a relationship that might be the best thing that ever happened to him. Not that he’d dare to say that out loud, not with everything so tentative and new. Doesn’t mean he can’t hope so.Meanwhile Leon doesn’t really do relationships. Not because he doesn’t want to, but because he always seems to be so bad at them. Of course entirely by accident he manages to build one without even realizing it.
Relationships: Leon S. Kennedy/Piers Nivans
Series: the pinnacle of self-indulgence (aka my happy place) [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1540780
Comments: 16
Kudos: 47





	it was you that I found

**Author's Note:**

> a _totally_ necessary prequel to [ life healed like a wound (we will be alright)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21054632) 8) 
> 
> things have been kind of rough and this is my emotional support verse, so I keep coming back to it to make myself feel better. sooo here’s the prequel no one asked for, lmao, and there’s gonna be also a _sequel_ no one asked for. just because I’m weak for these two. ( _send help._ )
> 
> I know this isn’t exactly the oil tanker of ships, more like a rowboat if anything, but heeeey watch me try to fill the tag single-handedly anyway! they make me happy ;;

The door of the bathroom thudded shut behind Piers, muffling the loud music into a dull echo. He leaned back against the door for a second, closing his eyes as he breathed in deep. He just needed a quick breather, and had practically fled when his friends tried to get him to take part in some kind of a drinking game they had just invited. 

Not that he had anything against drinking, really, but he’d been the center of attention for too long tonight. People had kept buying him drinks as soon as they’d learned it was his birthday, and that he was turning thirty at that, and even though he’d slipped half of the drinks to his friends he’d still reached his limit. Pleasantly tipsy was what he’d been angling on all along, and he had no intentions in getting smashed drunk, birthday or not. 

“Is it that hard, being the birthday boy?”

The sudden voice startled Piers and his eyes snapped open, as he only now realized that he wasn’t alone in there. He could already feel his face heat up from embarrassment as he realized how he looked like, running to hide in the bathroom, and it got even worse when his brain caught up to the fact that it was none other than the legendary agent Leon S. Kennedy who was drying his hands at the sink, giving amused looks at Piers. 

Rationally, Piers knew that he wasn’t being judged. Yet he’d always tried to give such a good impression of himself to Leon, it made him feel stupid to get caught like this. “It was… kind of overwhelming?” he answered finally, eager to get rid of the awkward pause before it stretched on too far. It was probably too late to try to play it cool so he figured he could just go with honesty. 

“I can imagine,” Leon laughed, throwing the paper towel into the bin, before turning to face the other man better. “I saw the crowd out there. You must be the most popular guy at the whole BSAA if they’re all here for you.” It was all good-natured, nothing malicious in his tone, which helped Piers relax, some of the vague jitters evaporating.

“I don’t even know half of them,” Piers admitted with a grin and a shrug. “It was just an excuse to go out drinking, so. Most of the guys brought their friends, who brought their friends. It’s not like everyone in here is specifically here for me.” A very persistent part of him kept yelling in the back of his mind to act more cool, be more confident, _try to flirt goddamnit_ , but he hadn’t had enough to drink to be _that_ courageous.

Sure they had met before, several times, on various different occasions. They had even worked together more than once, and they’d always gotten along well enough. But they’d never been _alone_ anywhere, this was the longest they’d held a conversation without other people around them. And even though it’d only been a few fleeting minutes, Piers found himself glancing at Leon’s lips, imagining for probably the millionth time how it’d feel like to kiss him. 

Maybe it was the drinks he’d had. Or maybe it was the fact that he’d entered a whole new _decade_ in his life. Maybe it was something entirely different. But no matter the reason, Piers hadn’t even made a conscious decision before he already stepped forward, miraculously finding the courage somewhere. “You know what, there’s something I’ve wanted to do for a while now, and since it’s my birthday I’m just… going to go ahead.” By now he was staring at Leon’s mouth openly, making his intentions clear already before he stopped only a palm’s width from Leon. “Just don’t knock my lights out, okay? Please.”

A surprised chuckle escaped Leon when he understood where this was going. Yet he got over it in a blink, visibly relaxing as he tilted his head a little, almost an invitation. At first Piers was sure he imagined that part, but when Leon breathed out a “Go for it.” that was all the permission he needed. He crowded Leon against the wall and kissed him, almost tentative at first.

It didn’t stay hesitant for long, not when they both moved to deepen it as if in wordless agreement. Leon’s palms found their way to Piers’ waist, his long fingers curling around his belt to pull him in closer. Meanwhile Piers carefully grabbed a fistful of Leon’s hair, maybe in a subconscious attempt to stop him from pulling back. Not that he needed to stop that, Leon obviously wasn’t going anywhere. 

Soon enough they were making out like teenagers, only interrupted when Piers simply couldn’t hold back the laughter that bubbled from him. “That. You. Wow.” That was about the most eloquent statement he could manage, and he didn’t even try to hide his wide grin. His hands found their way to Leon’s shoulders, and he couldn’t help but stare at them in _awe_ as it was still hard to wrap his mind around how he was _allowed_ to touch. 

Leon mirrored the grin, before he ducked his head a little. “If I’d known you were interested I would’ve done that ages ago,” he admitted, glancing up at Piers from through a veil of hair that had fallen on his face. He looked almost… bashful? Except that word didn’t belong in a sentence together with someone like Leon. The man was all confidence, smart and capable and so _way_ out of Piers’ league. Or so he had thought. 

“Honestly,” Piers started, greedily leaning in for another quick kiss, unable to stop now that he’d gotten started, “ _interested_ doesn’t even begin to cover it.” 

The sound Leon made deep in his throat was something indescribable. He crushed their mouths together again, but at the same time pushed forward and made Piers back up until they ended up in one of the stalls. When they broke apart, Leon didn’t hesitate even for a second before he already sank down onto his knees, hands at the buckle of Piers’ belt. 

“Is this too fast for you?” he asked, voice hoarse and eyes dark with need. He paused in his attempts to get the pants open, making sure that he got the clear go ahead before proceeding any further. 

Not that he had to worry. Piers blurted out a “Hell no!” immediately as the question registered in his mind, somewhere in the middle of the excitement laced with disbelief. Helplessly he jerked his hips forward a little, trying his hardest to remain in control although the mere thought of what might follow was sending his brains into an overdrive. “Please,” he managed to add, swallowing hard to make his voice work despite the dryness in his throat. 

The grin was back, and easily Leon got the belt open, along with the button and the zipper of Piers’ jeans. “Tell me if you want me to stop,” he said, but didn’t even pause before he finally managed to tug the jeans down and out of the way, freeing Piers’ dick. He gave it a couple of almost experimental strokes, groaning deep in his throat. “Fuck you’re _hard_.”

The only response Piers managed was a garbled sound, and he fell back against the wall with a thud. “Jesus Christ,” he breathed out, arching his back a little, thrusting into Leon’s palm. “I need, _please_ , just–” He didn’t even know what he was pleading for. All he knew was that he _wanted_ , so badly, anything that Leon was willing to give him. He let his head fall back against the wall, eyes closed as Leon kept stroking him, his hands warm and grip firm. 

Then there was hot breath on him, a wet tongue dragged across the tip of his cock. Piers’ eyes snapped open, and immediately he fixed his gaze down, an intense surge of arousal shooting through him at what he saw. Never in his wildest dreams had he dared to imagine _this_ , and he had to bite the insides of his cheeks not to come right then and there.

Leon repeated the action, flicking his tongue against the slit, before smirking up at Piers. “Happy birthday.” 

Without waiting for a reply Leon closed his lips over the head of Piers’ dick, slowly sinking down. It was hot and wet, enough to send Piers reeling and his head spinning, and he was still biting his cheeks harshly to keep himself under some semblance of control. Add to that the fucking _sight_ of Leon hollowing his cheeks as he sucked tentatively, as if testing out the waters. 

Piers opened his mouth, tried to say something, but nothing came out except for the harsh puffs of breath. His thighs were trembling as he tried to hold back from thrusting forward into the warmth of Leon’s mouth, tried to just take what he was given. He was clenching his hands into fists, flexing his fingers, not knowing what to do with them. 

That is, until Leon reached out and grabbed Piers’ wrist, guiding his hand to the back of his head. Instinctively Piers tangled his fingers into Leon’s hair, the touch soft like a caress. He knew he was being given permission to take action, but he still refrained from it, let Leon set the pace and just carded his fingers through the strands of hair, over and over, in astonishment. 

Piers was sweating through his shirt, his breaths coming in harsher and harsher, his hips moving forward in helpless little jerks. He couldn’t look away from where Leon’s reddened lips were sliding along his rock hard dick, could barely blink as he wanted to see every single second of it. 

The best part, though? The best part _by far_ was how Leon seemed to be so into it. He wasn’t just doing Piers a favor, wasn’t just aiming to get it over and done with. No, he was moaning around the heavy cock on his tongue, eyes half-lidded and dark with lust. He pushed his hand under Piers’ shirt, splaying his fingers over his abdomen, touching wherever he could reach. 

“F-fuck,” Piers stuttered, unable to get his voice to work properly. He tried to grasp on a thought, any thought, but all he could focus on was the pleasure building up inside of him. “I’m gonna–” was all he managed to get out before he was coming in hot spurts, the orgasm slamming through him with such intensity it left him reeling. Only distantly he realized that Leon had pulled back enough that he was coming all over Leon’s face, and it sent a whole new wave of shudders through him. 

Leon chuckled as he stood up, licking his reddened, swollen lips. “Good?” he asked, his voice hoarse and a little shaky. He pressed close against Piers and kissed him slow, unhurried, like he had all the time in the world, even though he was clearly trying to pull himself together and regain his self control. 

“ _Good_?” Piers asked incredulously, his laughter even a hint hysterical as he still hadn’t entirely landed back to reality. “That was _so beyond_ just good!” He reached out and wiped the cumstains off Leon’s cheek, grinning as he realized there was some in his hair, too. “Can I repay the favor?” he asked, his heartbeat picking up at the mere thought of that. 

“I don’t know,” Leon drawled, “is it rude if you ditch your own birthday party?” He didn’t give Piers the chance to reply, not before kissing him again. “I live just around the corner. And I’m old enough to appreciate an actual bed. If you’d care to join me?”

If Piers’ heart had been hammering before, it was nothing compared to the way it was beating right now, the excitement making him feel like he was vibrating out of his own skin. “Hell yes,” he breathed out, underlining the statement with yet another one of those short but deep kisses neither of them seemed to be able to get enough of. 

Leon’s eyes were sparkling with amusement, more than a hint of arousal laced into the way he looked at Piers. “Then let’s get going.”

*

If Piers had expected something, it definitely wasn’t the kind of a marathon they got up to when they finally got to Leon’s place. As promised, he reciprocated the blowjob, taking great joy in how he could make Leon shake apart for him. There was an ungodly amount of kissing, as they found out they both enjoyed it more than a bit, and neither seemed to get enough.

Truth to be told Piers had no idea how long they kept just kissing each other, touching each other, just enjoying the gradual build up. Even when Leon fingered Piers open it felt like hours, and he took his sweet time until Piers was practically sobbing for him to _fucking go for it_. And even then, even when he was behind Piers and fucked him slow and good, it was like there was all the time in the world for them. 

They slept exhausted and unmoving next to one another, Piers’ arm thrown over Leon’s waist, and the sun was already high on the sky before either of them moved. It still took lazy good morning handjobs before they actually managed to get out of bed, into a surprisingly chaste shower together, and out for lunch. 

After eating they headed back to Leon’s place, and it was probably a little bit ridiculous how they barely managed to get in through the door before Leon was already pulling Piers’ shirt off him to get rid of it. It was hastier than the night before, more urgent, set out for quick release instead of the slow, gradual enjoyment from the night before. That didn’t mean it was any less good, though. Not even if in record time they were already lying in a tangle of limbs, sweaty skin on skin, coming down from the high. 

Piers knew he couldn’t stay for longer. Work called, and as much as he didn’t want to leave, it was a blessing in disguise. At least now he didn’t need to wait for Leon to kick him out, didn’t overstay his welcome in his desire to keep the day going for as long as he’d possibly could. 

Regretfully Piers pulled on his shirt, fishing his socks out from under the bed – how had they even ended up there? – and as much as he was stalling he was fully dressed and ready to go way too soon. He didn’t really know what to say, unsure of what the etiquette was in situations like this. Sure he’d had one night stands before, but never like _this_. Everything about this felt so different, and he wasn’t ready to just let it go knowing the next time they’d meet they’d be just colleagues again. 

Maybe that’s what got him to gather enough nerve, finally, when he was already standing at the door with his shoes on and ready to go. He took one look at Leon, who was standing there in sweatpants and a loose t-shirt, his feet bare and hair tousled. The sight made Piers want to do unmentionable things to the man. So he bit his lip, a little hesitant, and took the leap. “We should do this again, sometime?”

Thankfully Leon didn’t tell him to beat it, or laugh at him for being so presumptuous. Instead Leon smiled at him, eyes sparkling with amusement and… something else, quite unidentifiable. “Anytime,” he said as he stepped closer, close enough so he could grab the lapels of Piers’ coat. Unceremoniously he yanked him in, kissing him like his life depended on it. 

It was downright filthy, and for a second Piers forgot everything else. He grabbed Leon’s shoulders for support, pressed closer against him, and already had half a mind to shrug off his coat and–

“Go,” Leon breathed out as they parted, his eyes sparkling with amusement even though they were blown with lust, and gently he pushed Piers back a little. “You’ll be late.” He looked regretful, too, like he didn’t want this to end just yet. Unless that was all in Piers’ imagination, which was definitely an option. Too fucking good to be true. 

“I’m–” Piers shook his head slowly, unable to put his thoughts into words.

Thankfully he didn’t need to, as Leon just kissed him again, quick this time. “Next time,” Leon said, full of promise, and with a wink and a small slap on Piers’ butt he sent the younger man out of the door and on his way. 

There was a bounce to Piers’ step for _days_.

*

The next time they met was two months later. They’d seen briefly in passing before that but this was the first time since Piers’ birthday that they actually really _met_ , and of course they should’ve predicted how that’d go. Neither of them had to be anywhere so they had the time, and it only took them a moment of flirting before they found themselves falling right into each other again.

There was a lot of kissing, a lot of groping, and afterwards neither of them knew how they made it to an actual bed. Their clothes were strewn haphazardly onto the floor and onto the furniture, wandering hands touching wherever they could reach. Finally, _finally_ , there was nothing but skin on skin, as they tumbled down onto the mattress together. 

“I want you to fuck me,” Leon practically breathed the words out, right against Piers’ lips. He was grinning, his hair fanned out around his head on the pillow, and with his kiss bruised lips and lust blown eyes he looked like a dream. 

Piers moaned at the very thought of that, his heartbeat doubling in a second. During their first night together they had traded blowjobs and handjobs, and Leon had fucked him, but he hadn’t shown any indication that he wanted it the other way around. And Piers had been too much in awe that it was happening _at all_ that he hadn’t exactly wanted to risk being rejected by suggesting something. “Are you sure?” he asked, trying to sound casual and level, although he was sure that the pure unadulterated _need_ was clear as day in his voice. 

“Oh trust me, I am sure,” Leon smirked up at him. Leon’s fingers were dancing over the back of Piers’ neck, down his shoulders, to the broad expanse of his back. “I’ve wanted that …probably from the moment we first met.” He didn’t really look bothered at all by the admission. 

“Fucking hell,” Piers swore, squeezing his eyes shut for a second. “But when we– Last time? You– I thought you preferred–”

Leon shut him up with a deep, slow kiss. He hooked a leg around Piers’ hip, somehow managing to roll them both over so that he was hovering above Piers, could shamelessly roll his hips in a way that sent thrills of pleasure through them both. He brought a hand between them, giving Piers’ erection a few slow, measuring strokes. 

Only when the kiss eventually broke he pulled back enough to grin at Piers again. “Don’t get me wrong, that was _great_ , and I’m absolutely open for repeating it,” he purred. He never stopped touching Piers, kept jerking him off torturously slow, and every twist of his wrist made Piers practically squirm underneath him in an attempt to gain more of it. “But I’d rather you fucked me until I can’t walk straight.”

Then Leon slowed down a little, sat up slightly straighter, and Piers thought he imagined the flash of uncertainty that crossed over the older man’s face. “Unless… I mean. If that’s a problem, we can–”

It was Piers’ turn to shut Leon up, and he did it with a quick, almost chaste peck to his lips. “There’s no problem,” he answered, honestly, from the bottom of his heart. And his dick. Seriously, he was more than a little interested in the turn of events, and now that he finally gave himself the go-ahead to realistically think about it he was completely on board with this. “This is the _opposite_ of a problem.” He laughed, shaking his head a little. 

Piers could feel Leon relax against him, and he used that to his advantage to roll them over again, until he had Leon pinned down against the mattress. He leaned down and connected their mouths in a slow, hot kiss, trying to convey through that how much he wanted Leon, in all the possible ways. Technically this was still only their second time doing this, and he had no guarantees that it would ever happen again, but holy hell did he want it. 

For all his life, Piers had been too easy with his heart, had given it without reservation. Yet this felt… different, somehow. There was an edge to it, a distant tingling feeling in the back of his mind telling him he was falling fast and hard and that he should be careful if he didn’t want it to end in tears. But he _wanted_. He yearned. He couldn’t resist. 

So Piers kept kissing Leon until neither of them even wanted to talk anymore, kept kissing him while carefully opening him up with his fingers, kept kissing him even when he finally, _finally_ pushed inside of him. Only then he pressed their foreheads together instead, their harsh breaths mixing. “You feel so _good_.” He knew it was a lame thing to say, but the words were out before he could even second guess them. 

Thankfully Leon didn’t seem to find him cheesy. Or then he just didn’t have the brain power to focus on anything as mundane as words. Instead he wrapped his long legs around Piers’ hips and tilted his pelvis, his mouth slack as the changed angle made Piers slide even deeper in him, the added stretch taking his breath away. Blindly he reached above his head and grabbed the headboard of the bed, bracing himself against it. 

Piers took that as a sign to get on to it, and pulled back until his cock almost slipped out, only to then slide back in one smooth thrust that made Leon’s entire body shiver. It was obvious how much he was enjoying himself, how much he liked the slow but steady pace that allowed him to focus on every single moment, on every single _inch_. 

Neither of them said a word, the air between them filled with breathless gasps, low moans and needy little whimpers, until suddenly they were kissing again. Neither of them knew who initiated it but suddenly neither wanted to let it stop, either, not even when they were so out of breath the kisses were rather only brushes of lips on lips instead of anything deeper. 

At some point Leon let go of the headboard, instead grabbing Piers’ shoulders for support, knuckles white. “C’mon,” he practically exhaled the word, his eyes unfocused and glassy as he searched Piers’ face. “I need more. I need– I want– I–” Every word was clipped and near incoherent as he just babbled out whatever he managed. What did the trick was when he finally inhaled deep, licked his lips, and got out a coherent enough “I _need you_.”

There was nothing left of Piers’ self control by then. He pressed his face into the side of Leon’s neck, muffling his outcry as pleasure exploded behind his closed eyelids, the orgasm washing through him like a fucking tidal wave he was wholly unequipped for. He kept moving his hips, snapping them forward time and time again as if on autopilot, and somewhere through his haze he managed to bring his hand between their bodies. He had barely laced his fingers around Leon’s dick, got in only one proper stroke, before Leon was crying out too, his body tight like a vice as he was thrown over the edge. 

Only distantly aware of his surroundings, Piers kept moving slower and slower until he finally came to a halt, lying there only breathing harshly and trying to get some kind of a grip on himself. Leon was still holding on to him, his legs around Piers’ hips and his arms around his shoulders, and he showed no signs of wanting to let go anytime soon. 

When the most intense edge had worn off, when Piers managed to gain at least some kind of a coherent thought, he finally moved back just enough to slip out and get rid of the condom. He discarded it blindly to the side though, unwilling to leave any further. Instead he nearly collapsed on the mattress right next to Leon, trying not to crush him with his bodyweight. 

Leon was grinning, a relaxed, genuine, fucked silly look on his face. He moved to tangle their legs together, his fingers drawing idle circles onto Piers’ shoulder blades. “That was… alright.” He chuckled, the sound as breathless as the words had been. 

“… _alright_?” Piers asked, incredulous. He even pulled back enough to look at Leon, eyes wide with bewilderment and disbelief. “What the hell kind of sex are you used to if that was _alright_?” There was a part of him that felt utterly inadequate, like he had just screwed up somehow, before he finally noticed the way Leon was looking at him, eyes sparkling with amusement. “Oh ha ha.” He pushed Leon’s shoulder a little. “Stop fucking with me.”

This time Leon laughed out loud. “Okay, okay. It was _phenomenal_. Better?” He stressed the word teasingly, but there was at least some truth to the words that much was obvious. “You can totally do that again.”

Piers arched an eyebrow. “Now?”

“How long do you need?” Leon asked, placing a row of small kisses along Piers’ sweaty brow, ending with one to his temple. “Aren’t you supposed to be the young and energetic one here?” 

Theatrically, Piers groaned. So Leon was going to be the death of him, apparently. 

What a glorious way to go, though.

*

Each droplet of water was like a needle on Leon’s skin, and as much as he tried to pull his jacket around himself better he was soaked through to the bone by the time he finally got out of the rain. The forecast had said it’d rain but nowhere had it mentioned it’d be this much, or this cold, and he was vastly unprepared for it. He shook his wet hair out of his eyes as he stepped into the foyer, hitting the button to call the elevator down to the ground floor.

Despite being thoroughly freezing there was a spark of excitement in the pit of his stomach. It had been a month since he’d last seen Piers, and as dumb as it made him feel he had been counting days from the second the other man had contacted him and suggested that he come over. He kept telling himself it was because he hadn’t gotten laid in …well, a month, and that he was on edge simply because of that. And equally as determinedly he kept ignoring the fact that it was in no way unusual for him, he’d gone several consecutive months without getting any, more than once. There was no logical reason for him to be so eager. 

Yet here he was, ringing the doorbell with fingers so cold they felt like they might snap off, and quickly huddled his hands into his pockets in an attempt to warm them up a little bit. The door opened so fast that it seemed he wasn’t the only one who was eagerly waiting, and without even a greeting Piers already grabbed his head, pulling him in for a kiss. Leon practically melted into it, enjoying the contact as much as the heat that was radiating off the younger man, making him feel like he might just warm up eventually. 

When they broke apart Piers frowned, sliding his palms down onto Leon’s chest as he eyed him from head to toe. “Fuck, you’re cold.” 

That startled a laugh out of Leon. “Wow, you have such a way with words. Way to make a guy feel special.” He was grinning, though, obviously not exactly bothered by that. He went in for another kiss, a shorter one this time, and only afterwards realized they were still standing in the doorway. “Not gonna invite me in?” 

“Shit, sorry,” Piers chuckled, shaking his head a little as if admonishing himself. He stepped aside, gesturing for Leon to step into the apartment, and stayed behind him to close the door. 

Leon kicked off his shoes, as he didn’t want to track mud everywhere. His clothes were so wet they were clinging on to his skin, and he couldn’t stop the shudder from running through him as a wave of sheer _cold_ suddenly hit him. He tried to force it down, but when he turned around he immediately noticed in Piers’ expression that there was no way he hadn’t noticed that. 

“We’ve got to get you warmed up,” Piers pointed out the obvious, and this time when he got close he slipped his hands underneath Leon’s jacket, pushing it off him. Instead of just discarding it to the side he went to hang it up, so that it might actually dry sometime instead of staying as a wet pile on the floor. 

That left Leon standing in the middle of the room, trying to decide whether to take off his shirt or not. He didn’t manage to get that far in his mind, not before Piers was back, giving him a little push. “Bathroom. You’re getting in the shower and I’m throwing your clothes in the dryer.” He didn’t wait for an answer but kept on ushering the older man into the direction he wanted him, and that brought a smile to Leon’s lips. 

Of course he knew that Piers was just being logical, was doing what every sane person would’ve done in the same situation, and that there was nothing deeper to it. Who would leave a guest freezing to death in the middle of their apartment? Yet it sent a wave of contentment through him, and for once he let himself be taken care of. It didn’t happen often, and shamelessly he basked in it, even if he did try to be discreet about it. 

Soon enough Leon was standing in the shower, under the warm spray of water. It felt almost too warm at first, and he couldn’t hold back another set of shudders, but it felt good at the same time and he rubbed his fingers in an attempt to get the blood flowing properly. He noticed how Piers was lingering in the room, obviously trying to decide whether to go or to stay, and so he made the decision for him. “C’mon. Get in here,” he grinned and shrugged a little, “unless you don’t want to.”

“ _Of course_ I want to!” All of the hesitation was gone, and in only a moment the younger man was under the spray of water with Leon, running warm palms over his sides, kissing him breathless. To Leon, it was almost as if the skin on skin contact warmed him up more than the water cascading over them, and eagerly he pressed in as close as he possibly could. 

Wanting to touch in turn, Leon brought his hands to Piers’ chest, but he barely got them there before Piers yelped a little, laughing as he caught a hold of Leon’s wrists. “How the hell did you get that cold?” Gently he closed his hands over Leon’s the best he could, trying to help him warm up. “You’re like an icicle.”

“Does that mean you want me to keep my hands off you?” Leon asked teasingly, unable to resist. It was all a lot more… chaste and gentle than what he had been prepared for. He hadn’t even considered the option that they might not fall straight into bed and fuck each other silly. But he wasn’t complaining, this was nice too, even if unexpected. 

Chuckling Piers guided Leon’s hands to his chest, and this time the touch didn’t even make him flinch as the older man’s fingers had finally warmed up enough. The touch did make him shiver, but for entirely different reasons. It was as if the gesture was the last thing that broke whatever had been holding them back until now, and the next kiss they shared was hungry, eager, uncoordinated enough to make their teeth clash at first. 

More than a little eagerly Leon pushed Piers back against the tiled wall, and now that he had the permission to touch he used it to his advantage. For a second he considered getting on his knees, really tempted by that, but then decided against it as he was enjoying the sloppy kisses way too much. So he settled for a slow, almost lazy handjob that was eagerly reciprocated. 

They kept touching each other, teasing and drawing it out, until they couldn’t anymore. Leon was the first to tip over the edge, his climax rocking through him almost gently. It only took four, five more strokes and Piers followed him, practically collapsing back against the wall for support as he came hard between them. The water washing over them swept away the mess, and they took a second to just breathe, to share the same air, as they landed back from the high. 

“C’mon,” Piers urged afterwards, easily slipping an arm around Leon as he reached to switch off the shower. He left his arm there, though, and used that to guide Leon out of the shower. He didn’t say anything, just grabbed a fluffy towel and casually wrapped it around Leon’s shoulders before getting one for himself as well. 

When at least somewhat dry, Leon glanced towards the dryer, and as if reading his thoughts Piers huffed at him. “They won’t be ready yet. Besides,” he looked at Leon from over his shoulder, a slight smile curving the corners of his mouth. “I didn’t think you’d be ready yet, either.” 

The clear suggestiveness in his voice made Leon laugh and willingly he let himself be guided out of the bathroom and into the bedroom, all the way to the bed and under the covers. Somehow he had expected round two to follow immediately, as wasn’t that why they were here in the first place, for sex? But Piers just settled in bed, pulled Leon closer, and seemed to be entirely content with that. 

It was a little unsettling at first, with how unexpected it was. But Piers was solid and warm right there against him, his hands running along Leon’s back, his sides and his arms, almost absent-mindedly. It was… nice. Really nice. So Leon relaxed against him, and allowed himself to indulge in being so close to another human being without any threats, without expectations or pressure. 

Besides, finally Leon felt like his blood flow had been properly restored back to the normal levels, the coldness entirely forgotten, and he wanted to keep it that way so shamelessly he snuggled up a little closer. There was a low chuckle next to his ear, amusement dancing in Piers’ voice as he spoke up. “You look like you could use a nap.”

“What can I say. I’ve been up for two days and my flight landed like four hours ago,” Leon mumbled, admittedly a little sleepily. He was just so goddamn comfortable. “I’m not young and pretty anymore,” he added with a snicker, too tired to worry about any modicum of brain-to-mouth filter. 

“Oh shut up,” Piers answered without a beat, even pushed the other man’s shoulder a little, as if admonishingly. “You’re just fishing for compliments.” 

That was true enough and Leon just shrugged, grinning to himself. It had been so long since he’d gotten anything like this. Sure there was playful banter with his friends, but it was different with someone you got to cuddle naked with. Besides, Leon had to admit to himself that he’d misjudged Piers. The first time they’d met, he’d written the other man off as a hotheaded kid, who he could never in a million years have anything in common with. And every single meeting from then on, Piers had kept proving his initial assumptions wrong. 

Still, Piers was so _young_. So full of the kind of optimism and determination Leon had been so afraid to lose in himself with the way years kept wearing him down.

“Seriously though,” Leon spoke up after a short pause, partly to distract himself from getting too lost in that particular train of thought. He tried blinking the sleepiness from his eyes as he propped himself up on one elbow, shifting enough to be able to look the other man in the eye. “I might not be old and weary yet, but you do realize I’m ten years older than you?”

“So?” Piers shrugged, clearly unbothered. “It’s not like I’m a kid, either. In case you missed the big three and oh at my birthday party.” A grin was blossoming on his face, widening with every word he spoke. “You know, three months ago? You gave me a present and all.” 

Even if he’d tried, there was no way Leon could keep himself from mirroring that grin right back. “Yeah I guess I did,” he chuckled, shaking his head a little. 

There was something almost soft in the way Piers looked at him, even though he was still clearly amused, a teasing lilt to his voice as he spoke. “You know, it might’ve been the best present I got.”

“ _Might_ have?” Leon arched an eyebrow, aiming for an offended tone. He wasn’t exactly sure how well he pulled it off, but then again, no one really cared. 

“Well my memory is kind of vague,” Piers said, blinking innocently. “I could use a refresher.”

“Oh s–” Leon cut himself off, laughing. “ _Fine_. But let an old man nap first.”

“We’ve got time.” And like it was the easiest thing in the world, Piers just folded his arms around Leon and pulled him in again, slotting them together, side by side, like it was something they did every night instead of something new and exciting and exhilarating and terrifying. 

There was a persistent voice in the back of Leon’s skull telling him to get up and go home, to put some distance between them, to withdraw before it’d be too late. He didn’t habitually _snuggle up_ with his one night stands, not even the casual relationships. Closeness wasn’t something that generally came easy for him. Now though… it was almost deceivingly easy, felt so normal that he couldn’t even properly process it. 

So he silenced that nagging voice, ignored it until it quieted down into nothingness. Instead he pressed his face into Piers’ shoulder, shifted a little against him until he was so comfortable he could just fall asleep right then and there. 

Which he did, not even ten minutes later.

*

Weeks often went by without them hearing about each other, as they hadn’t gotten into the habit of texting or calling unless it was to hook up. Piers wasn’t an avid texter anyway, but he did keep up with his few friends and his parents whenever he was able. More than once Piers found himself staring at his phone, fingers already hovering over the letters, but then he just couldn’t come up with anything that didn’t sound too eager or needy or weird.

So he didn’t text Leon, not unless he knew he had some time to spare and could maybe try to make a meeting happen. It was fine, though. Whenever they did meet, it was like no time had passed at all as they picked up right where they’d left off. It was easy in the sense that it almost felt like they’d been doing this forever instead of just these few months that had passed. 

Piers had never had a relationship quite like this one. Starting with the fact that he still couldn’t quite believe that he had managed to score someone like Leon, who was a living _legend_ in their field of work, no exaggeration. And the more he got to know him, the more he liked him. He might’ve started out thinking along the lines of _holy fucking hell he’s hot_ , but now in addition to that he knew so much more. 

He’d gotten to know Leon’s sense of humor, and not only on the surface level but also during slower moments, behind closed doors. He’d gotten to experience just how sharp Leon’s mind worked, how much empathy he hid behind his calm façade, and he couldn’t _wait_ to get to know him even better. Already thinking about the next time they’d meet had him all giddy and excited, as much as he tried to hide it from everyone around him so that there wouldn’t be too many questions. 

Especially questions Piers couldn’t answer. Truth to be told he had no idea if they were even really dating. For all he knew, Leon could have ten other people he had regular sex with. They hadn’t labeled anything, they hadn’t talked about what was brewing between them, and Piers was too afraid to be the one to start that conversation. He kept telling himself it was too soon for that. He kept thinking he’d wait, just a little more, just until he knew it was real and it was something they both wanted to keep. 

If Piers was honest with himself, he had already passed that point. If the mere thought of seeing the other man filled him with this much nervous excitement? He was _long past_ that point, so far it was a little bit ridiculous. 

Keeping everything a secret was surprisingly easy. He was a private kind of a person to begin with, and even when the other men in his squad were loudly and eagerly talking about their conquests, he often kept quiet and just listened to the boisterous and even competitive stories. Sometimes, he entertained the thought of joining in, just to see the looks on their faces when they’d hear who he was regularly sleeping with, if nothing else. It was always only a distant thought, nothing he would act on. At least not without making sure Leon was okay with it. 

Which brought him back to the fact that he wasn’t even sure if they were officially dating or not. 

The first time they met on the job after starting their …whatever it was, Piers was a ball of nervous energy as he waited to see how it’d play out. A part of him hoped that there’d be some kind of acknowledgement from Leon, but a far bigger part kept telling him to stop being ridiculous, they’d probably just ignore each other, maybe politely exchange greetings or whatever, that’s it. But he was determined to leave the initiative up to Leon, and he felt like he was going to crawl out of his skin while he waited. 

Then finally they were brought in for the mission briefing, a whole bunch of BSAA men and a couple of DSO agents. Piers immediately scanned the crowd, unable to find Leon anywhere, and he tried not to feel disappointed about it. So he took a seat and waited, up until they were already about to start, until the sound of a door creaking open drew his attention. 

Leon stepped in with a female agent, someone Piers was sure he should probably know but he couldn’t really bring himself to focus enough right now. He only had eyes for Leon. They hadn’t met in a while, and Leon looked like he hadn’t spent the time resting at least, judging by the dark circles under his eyes, how exhausted he seemed. 

As if sensing he was being watched, Leon looked straight at Piers. Their eyes met, and Piers felt like a teenager with a crush when his heart skipped a beat at the slight upwards tick of Leon’s mouth. As small as the smile was, it was something private, something that was given just for him and it warmed him from the inside out. He was sure his answering smile was a lot more noticeable, even a little goofy, but aside Leon no one was paying him any attention so he got away with it.

There was no time for anything else, not before they had to focus on the matter at hand. 

Later they found themselves back at the BSAA building, tying up some loose ends so that Chris could fill them into his report. He asked a few concise questions, grumbling as he noted things down, obviously not looking forward to the paperwork that was going to follow. He knew better than to keep everyone there for long, though, dismissing them as soon as possible.

Everyone filed out of the room, Chris being the last one. At the door he seemed to realize that Leon hadn’t followed him and turned to look at him, eyebrow arched questioningly. “Coming?” He was obviously still lost in thought, distracted by whatever was on his mind, and didn’t even spare a glance towards Piers. Probably didn’t even realize he was still there. 

Leon waved a little, giving his friend a quick smile. “Go ahead, I’ll be just a minute.”

The only answer he got was a distracted “Sure.” and Chris let the door fall shut behind himself, leaving just Leon and Piers behind. 

Neither of them knew who moved first but in a couple of quick steps they crossed the room. Leon’s palms were on either side of Piers’ head, urging him to tilt his chin up so that the kiss could be deepened properly. Piers twisted his fingers in the fabric of Leon’s shirt, pulling him in even closer as he couldn’t _stand_ the space between them. They stumbled a little in their haste, until they bumped against the desk, and before he even knew what was happening Piers realized he was being practically lifted up to sit on it. Leon slid his hands down Piers’ chest and sides to his hips, stepping between his knees. 

The door wasn’t locked and technically anyone could walk in on them anytime, and while they weren’t exactly in open view it was easy enough to see them through the gap in the blinds with the littlest bit of effort. Conscious of that they pulled apart before it could go too far, although even then they stayed close. Leon’s hands were resting on Piers’ thighs, and Piers used the opportunity to hook his arms around Leon’s waist. 

“I wanted to do that the second I saw you,” Leon admitted with an amused twist to his lips, even underlined the words by stealing yet another quick but deep kiss, ending it by nipping on Piers’ lower lip gently. “So I heard you’d planned to go grab a drink? With everyone,” he added after a pause, his voice deliciously a little breathless. “Chris asked if I’d join you.”

There had been talk about that earlier, and Piers had already then thought that he’d rather want a few moments alone with Leon instead, as much as he did like the people he worked with. So he groaned theatrically, slid his hands down until he could grab Leon’s ass and pull him a little closer. “And here I was hoping I’d get into your pants.”

“You have a standing invitation into them,” Leon replied easily, a low chuckle spilling from him. He went willingly, pressed closer until their chests were touching, and tilted his head just enough to kiss the reply right off the younger man’s lips. When he pulled back he was still smiling. “But c’mon, it might be fun. And we have all night afterwards.” He looked around them, the smile widening into a grin. “Somewhere else than on Chris’ desk.”

“I don’t know,” Piers laughed, “I kind of like the desk.” When Leon pulled back and grabbed his hand to bring him along he didn’t resist, willingly following the other man. Besides he knew Leon was right, it probably would be fun to go out and unwind a little with his friends. And if Leon was there, too… well, it didn’t hurt. 

When they reached the door Leon let Piers’ hand drop from his own, his entire demeanor casual as he stepped out of the room. 

As expected, it was nice. No one was angling to get smashed drunk but the alcohol was flowing freely nevertheless, most taking turns in offering to buy rounds of beer for the others. And Leon seemed to fit right in, maybe because he’d been friends with Chris for so long, or maybe because he was just that charming. Piers was inclined to believe it was the latter. At least he was absolutely, thoroughly charmed.

And it seemed he wasn’t alone in that. Leon wasn’t the only one of them who kept collecting glances from people outside of their group, but he was the one who clearly got the most attention from strangers. When he made the trip to the bar to get a round of drinks he had to turn down two offers already. It didn’t pass by anyone unnoticed. 

“C’mon, Kennedy,” Richard, who was sitting next to Leon on one side of the table, nudged the agent with his elbow. He might’ve been a little bit drunk. “I’ve spotted _at least_ three girls and two guys giving you long looks in the past fifteen minutes. What’s stopping you?” He pointed at one of the aforementioned people. “Look at him. He’s gorgeous. Go for it!”

Leon did take a look at the direction he was pointed at, and indeed there was a young man in tight black jeans and a button-up, giving him a little wave as soon as their gazes met. It sent a little thrill of something like jealousy through Piers, but he stomped it down determinedly, fully well knowing how irrational it was. Especially when all Leon did was grin a little and turn back to the table with a shrug. “I’ve had better.”

There was nothing on his face that could’ve given away what he meant, the comment vague enough too, but he gave Piers’ ankle a little nudge under the table. Everyone around them was laughing, no one really paying them any mind, and there it was: that small private smile again, the one that turned Piers’ insides into something liquid. He could already feel the treacherous blush creeping up his neck and he tried his best to fight it down, together with the grin that was threatening to break free. 

As nice as it was, Piers still couldn’t wait for the moment when he’d get to drag Leon somewhere more private. He kept thinking back to the kisses they’d shared back at the office, and he could still feel Leon’s palms on his thighs if he closed his eyes for a second. Then there was the fact that whenever he could, Leon kept stealing glances at him too, kept hooking their ankles underneath the table as if he couldn’t stay away completely either. It kind of made Piers feel like he was back in high school, when something this small got him so geared up and goddamn _giddy_. 

It wasn’t a bad feeling, though. 

When they finally, fucking _finally_ , fell through the door to Piers’ apartment Piers felt like he might just _explode_ if he didn’t get his hands on Leon right the hell now. The door had barely closed behind them when he already rushed to seal his mouth over Leon’s, and eagerly dipped his fingers under the waistband of Leon’s pants, making the older man laugh into the kiss. “C’mon, darlin’,” he grinned against Piers’ lips, not even trying to pull back further, “we have all night. Slow down.”

“What if I don’t want to?” Piers asked, a hint of amusement dancing in his tone. “It’s been way too long.” He kept thinking back to the hours they’d spent at the bar, all the secret suggestive looks and the fleeting touches, and he was a hundred percent certain that Leon had been intentionally trying to rile him up. So, really, he’d been asking for this. 

“Okay, you got that right,” Leon hummed approvingly, already shuffling backwards, urging the other man to follow him. It was a little bit awkward, seeing how neither of them wanted to lose the closeness and they kept tripping over their own feet. Neither of them could stop grinning either, as they were pleasantly tipsy and loose-limbed. 

They hit the bed and fell down into a pile of limbs onto the mattress, laughing as it resulted in a very awkward moment of shuffling around in an attempt to get into a better position, and to simultaneously get rid of at least some of the unnecessary clothing. “Here, let me just,” Leon tried as he got his palms under Piers’ shirt and pushed upwards, and he couldn’t make out the reply as it was so muffled by the garment. At least it meant Piers was finally shirtless, though, which was an absolute plus. 

“How is this fair,” Piers leaned down to kiss Leon, but it was just a chaste brush of lips as they were smiling too much for it to turn into anything more solid. “You’re wearing way too much.” His hands found their way underneath Leon’s shirt, against his abdomen, and he splayed his fingers wide to enjoy the feeling. 

Leon had a habit of wearing clothes that while not being baggy still didn’t exactly accentuate his physique, and although this was by no means the first time Piers got his hands on him, it still managed to somehow surprise him. Sure Leon wasn’t ripped like Chris, but he was strong and wiry, and what he lacked in brute strength he more than made up for in flexibility and tenacity. Not to mention how fucking clever he was, always seeming to be one step ahead. 

And holy hell Piers already knew he was falling head over heels for Leon. Something must’ve shown on his face because suddenly Leon’s palm was cupping his cheek, thumb brushing over his lower lip gently. “What’s up? Where did you disappear to?”

Piers shook his head, flashing a quick smile. “I’m here.” Slowly, relishing every second, he pushed his hands upwards and took the shirt with it, chuckling as Leon obediently arched off the mattress enough to aid him in his efforts. It left Leon’s hair mussed up, and somehow made him look years younger, soft in a way that made Piers’ heart ache. “I just…” He hesitated for a second, but then decided that honesty was the best policy. “I’m just happy to see you.”

Something softened in Leon’s eyes, and he seemed to genuinely mean it when he replied “Right back at you.” Still intent on getting this show on the road though he hooked his fingers into the belt loops of Piers’ pants, using the grip to pull the man against himself, the added friction pulling breathless gasps from them both. “Now, c’mon,” Leon went on, voice pitched lower than usual, “how do you want me?”

Immediately that shot straight to Piers’ groin, making him ache to get out of his clothes right this second. He could’ve sworn he’d never wanted anyone this badly in his entire _life_. “Fucking hell, you can’t just ask me shit like that,” he groaned, but obediently was already unzipping to get properly naked. 

“No?” Leon asked, amusement audible in his voice even with the way it was laced with need, even with how he couldn’t entirely regulate his breathing as he was too turned on to keep proper focus on anything. “Okay then.” He lifted his hips helpfully, inwardly praising Piers for being so efficient in getting rid of all the clothes. “I’ll tell you what we’ll do.”

“You will?” Piers grinned, leaning over the other man, only to keep their faces close as he shifted, rolled his hips to slide his rock hard cock against Leon’s. Apparently even the slower moments in between hadn’t really done anything to calm either one of them down. Not that it was anything new, really. They had always switched so easily between urgency, hard and greedy and quick, and something that was far more languid and exploring, even if no less intense. 

“You will now grab the goddamn lube,” Leon got out. His breath hitched, but he managed to inhale before going on, “and you will get those multi-talented fingers of yours in me, _now_.” He grabbed Piers’ wrist, bringing his hand up to press a wet kiss onto his knuckles. He smirked, arching an eyebrow almost challengingly. “Okay?”

“Okay,” Piers practically only breathed out. His mind was already ten steps ahead of where they currently were, and it was suddenly really _really_ hard to focus on anything. He did realize Leon was laughing a little at his eagerness, but he also knew that it was in no way malicious so he let it slide. He knew fully well how needy he must’ve seemed but to hell with it, keeping up appearances wasn’t important enough to bother with. 

So he wasted no time, grabbed the lube and set out to work. Already when he pushed the first finger in Leon let out an almost content sigh, his eyes closed and head tilted back, the tiniest of shivers going through his body. Piers licked his lips, throat suddenly dry as the sight was so incredibly gorgeous. “You _really_ like this,” he more stated than asked, unable to keep the wonder off his voice.

Leon started to reply, but Piers used the opportunity and added another finger already. It was maybe a tad too soon, but the lube was plentiful and it wasn’t like it earned him any complaints. Instead Leon spread his thighs a little further, instinctively lifting his hips. “Y-yeah,” he finally replied after a good pause, his lips quirking up. “And you’re good at it,” he added, “very good.”

The praise shot straight through Piers and he didn’t even try to keep himself from smiling. He set out to earn it, too, doing his best to draw the moment out. At first he went straight for the gold, making sure to brush over Leon’s prostate with every single sweep of his fingers. But when he had the older man shaking underneath him, thighs trembling and hips lifting higher in an attempt to gain more, he eased up. “Still good?” he asked, voice a low drawl. 

The look Leon gave him seemed to answer the question with something like ‘ _what the hell do you think’_ but he said none of it out loud. Instead he gasped, nodding hastily. “ _Fuck_ yes.” He spread his legs more, heels slipping on the sheets, but his movements were stopped by Piers placing a warm palm on his hip. 

“What do you want? C’mon, Leon, talk to me.” Truth to be told, he was so far gone himself that it was a goddamn miracle he was able to still hold back and not just fuck the older man into the mattress. Yet he gathered himself, used the entirety of his considerable patience, and did what he did best: focused on the mission at hand. And the mission was to make Leon come his brains out, preferably. 

“I want you,” Leon managed surprisingly steadily. His hips kept moving in little jerks, his abs tensing with the effort, and he grabbed the pillow behind his head in both hands so hard the strain was visible all the way along his arms. “T-take me already. Have me.” As it didn’t seem to do the trick yet, he added an urgent “ _Please_.”

Piers could’ve sworn he _heard_ his own patience snap, and he practically tore his hand away, instead grabbing the older man’s hips while surging up to kiss him soundly. Leon brought his palms to either side of Piers’ head, holding on to him as if his life depended on it, and the way he answered to the kiss was enough to make anyone lose their mind in the best of ways. 

The sound Leon made when Piers finally pushed in him was utterly _relieved_. Finally he got what he wanted, and it was like every single nerve ending in his body was singing with how good it felt. The kiss broke, and Leon squeezed his eyes shut, holding his breath for a beat just to focus on the sensations. Piers wasted no time before setting out for a slow, almost torturous pace, knowing that it would be impossible to hold onto that for very long. 

Leon slid a palm to the back of Piers’ neck, holding on to him, while his other hand found its way to Piers’ shoulder. Somehow that made the moment more intimate, added a layer of emotion that almost made Piers choke up a little. He almost slipped up, almost said something that would’ve given away just how deep he had already fallen. Only in the nick of time he caught himself, and instead brushed his lips over Leon’s, coaxing him into a slow kiss. 

They kept moving against each other, both trying to get the most of it and simultaneously make it last as long as they possibly could. Eventually they were just keeping their faces close, sharing breath. The thrusts grew unsteady and erratic, until Piers was just snapping his hips forward the best he possibly could. He let go of Leon’s hip, about to bring a hand between their bodies to jerk him off, but he never got that far. 

Leon’s eyes flew open, his next breath nearly a sob, his entire body shuddering with the force of his orgasm. His hold on Piers tightened instinctively, and he wrapped his legs around Piers’ hips to pull him in even more, as if he couldn’t get enough. Not that Piers was far behind him, in any way. Seeing and feeling Leon come untouched like that was the hottest thing he’d ever witnessed in his entire life, at least right at that moment he was entirely convinced of that. 

And it only took a few more short thrusts and Piers tipped over the edge too, muffling the babbled, incoherent words that fell from his lips right into the crook of Leon’s neck. He wasn’t all that sure of what he said in that moment, but then again, Leon evidently wasn’t listening to him so who really cared. 

They took their sweet time coming down from the high, trading soft touches and chaste kisses. It made Piers’ heart soar, as every single little gesture in the moment showed, clear as day, that he wasn’t alone in his feelings. There was no way that this wasn’t mutual. It didn’t matter that they hadn’t talked about it, hadn’t hashed out the details or agreed on exclusivity or whatever. 

They were both falling. And Piers couldn’t have been happier. 

He said nothing about it, though, but instead scraped his teeth over Leon’s jaw, grinning against his neck right after. “I guess I should’ve expected that,” he snickered, “with how much you like getting fucked.”

“Are you complaining?” Leon asked, but amusement was evident in his tone, even before he huffed out a breathless laugh. 

“Hell no,” Piers answered with emphasis. “ _Never_.”

*

Neither of them expected that the next months would turn out so busy they didn’t manage to even meet up once. Leon had been whisked away into a mission that Piers had no idea about, and had no rights to know about whether or not he wanted to. All he knew was that Leon would be out of reach for a while, somewhere in the DC area, and that was it.

Not that he had a lot of time to focus on that anyway. There had been strange occurrences in Europe that probably meant that there were BOWs loose, and when BSAA was called in to investigate Piers didn’t have to wait long for his orders. What was new was that for the first time he wasn’t working under the command of Chris, instead in charge of his own unit. It was responsibility, it was pressure, and it meant Piers directed all of his attention into getting it right. 

He was good at his job. And he’d prove that to everyone who doubted him. 

It was almost exactly two months after the last time Piers had seen Leon that he was standing at a table staring at a map, listening idly while the others went through the plan for the day once again, making sure everyone was on the same page. Mainly they were just waiting around for when they’d have to get going. 

That was when Piers’ phone went off, vibrating in his pocket. 

A glance at the caller ID made Piers frown a little. Why was Leon calling him? Wasn’t he supposed to still be on that mission? And he certainly knew that Piers was out of the country. The only logical explanation in his mind was that something bad had happened, and there was cold dread spreading in the pit of his stomach as he quickly excused himself and went outside, answering the call only when he’d stepped around the corner and hopefully out of earshot. “Leon? Everything okay?” 

There was a short pause, before Leon spoke up, his voice carefully calm and level. “Of course. Why?”

_Because we never do this, we never talk on the phone ‘just because’_ , was Piers’ first instinct for a reply, but it didn’t feel right so he refrained from it, instead just shrugging a little. The terror was slowly evaporating, the worst case scenarios he’d been imagining in his head dissipating as he told himself he’d been overreacting. Belatedly he realized that the other man couldn’t see the gesture through the phone, and so he cleared his throat. “No reason. It’s… nice?” It wasn’t supposed to sound like a question, and quickly he added, in an attempt to soften the words. “To hear from you.” 

Besides it _was_ nice, more than that, now that he’d gotten over the initial surprise. Just because they didn’t usually do this, didn’t mean that they couldn’t, and he was more than willing to change that. It felt like a brand new step in their relationship, and it was kind of exhilarating. Smiling to himself, Piers leaned back against the wall, letting it shield him from the cool wind. 

Leon made an agreeing sound, and went on after only a beat. “How is it, working without your legendary Captain?” There was something strained in his voice, something a little forced in it as he didn’t quite hit the cheery tone he was probably aiming for. 

For a second Piers considered asking about it but then he figured that if Leon tried so hard to sound casual maybe he didn’t want to talk about whatever was bothering him. So he chuckled a little at the question, closing his eyes. “Not gonna lie, it’s strange. But honestly? I could get used to it. It’s kind of …good, to get more responsibility.” He hadn’t thought he’d been ready for it, but everything had worked out surprisingly easily, and he was kind of proud of himself for getting where he was today. 

There was a laugh, and for a second the smile was audible in Leon’s voice, laced with sheer warmth as he spoke. “I can imagine that. You’ll be great.” It was such a simple, short little statement but it already made Piers stand a little straighter, made him feel like he could take on anything. It was nice to be trusted, to have someone like Leon have so much faith in him. There was a pause, and Piers was already about to speak up, but then Leon beat him to it, his voice soft and so silent Piers had to strain to hear him. “Just. Take care of yourself, okay.”

That again set the alarms off in Piers’ mind and he frowned. “Are you sure you’re alright?” he asked before he could overthink it. “You sound… off?” Not only off, but even sad. Defeated, almost, and it was kind of scary to hear. 

Leon cleared his throat, and his voice was firmer, more normal again when he spoke. “Yeah, I’m fine. Don’t worry about it.” As if sensing an argument coming, he added “I’d rather not talk about it, not yet.”

The _not yet_ was probably the part that most effectively shut Piers up about it. It promised that the other man would talk to him in his own time, when he felt ready for it, and that was something Piers could definitely respect. He wracked his brain for something to say, something totally different to switch the topic to. He did the math quickly in his mind, and when he realized it was so late at Leon’s end the man was probably in bed, the first thing he somehow blurted out was a “So. What are you wearing?”

It was joking, more than anything, and after a short pregnant pause Leon burst out a laugh. “I’m not having phone sex with you,” Leon said, amusement dancing in his voice instead of the weary tiredness from earlier, and Piers definitely counted that as a win. A big one. 

“Didn’t hurt to try,” Piers drawled, the amusement audible in his voice too. “Who knows, I might’ve gotten lucky.”

“Yeah, you if anyone,” Leon answered, still chuckling a little. “Listen, I know you’re busy. Just. Let me know when you’re back?” He sounded a lot more like himself again, even though they’d only spoken for a moment. 

Piers nodded, answering with honest emphasis “Always.” 

As Piers pocketed the phone, he still thought about how there had been something strange about Leon’s voice, about the way he’d sounded more strained than usual. He tried to push that thought aside, though, tried to convince himself that if Leon said he was okay, then he was okay. So Piers focused on work, focused on getting himself and his team out of here in one piece. He had a job to do. 

Far away, at the dingy little hotel room, Leon poured himself another glass of vodka. He knocked half of it back in one go, focusing on the burn of it in his throat like it was the only thing that mattered. At least it got his mind off the slack faces, the empty eyes of the fallen soldiers. As much as he appreciated the occasional backup, the upside of working alone was that at least he didn’t have to watch everyone die like this. As much as he tried to rationalize everything the guilt was wearing down on him, nagging at him until he couldn’t think of anything to silence it. 

At least the flaring panic inside of him had calmed down a little at the sound of Piers’ voice. At least the younger man was alive and well, instead of lying cold and still in a goddamn bodybag. Knowing that at least cut the worst edge off the tension within Leon, and he tried to focus on that, tried to make himself believe it. A part of him wanted to call right back but he knew there was a mission for Piers to consider, he had to take care of his duties instead of comforting a goddamn crybaby like Leon was being right now. Besides he knew he shouldn’t worry, Piers was more than capable of taking care of himself, was qualified and competent. And yet… 

Leon took another drink, focusing on not feeling a thing. Until his vacation was disrupted the following day, as per usual.

*

Even after sleeping most of the day Leon felt like he’d been hit by a truck. He’d gotten himself patched up as much as necessary, but nothing was going to help with the way his entire body felt like one big bruise. The thing with Arias may not have taken long, but it had still taken every ounce of strength Leon found in himself. So the distraction was welcomed when Chris appeared into his motel room in the evening, looking as bad as Leon felt. And Leon got it. They were obviously relieved that they’d survived, that they’d saved as many people as they possibly could.

Yet there was always the nagging feeling of not having done _enough_. The thought of all those lives that were lost, the ones they didn’t manage to save. It was a far different thing to think about all of this logically and know you’d done your best, and to go through all of the what-if scenarios where things could’ve gone better. It was probably one reason why their friendship had grown so solid. They understood each other on a level not many did. 

Chris leaned his shoulder against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest, and eyed Leon carefully. “You look like you need to get your mind off this,” he said after a brief silence, something so matter-of-fact in his voice that it made Leon smile a little. Same old Chris. Hopefully he’d never change. “Seriously. Let’s go out and get a drink. When was the last time you got laid?” 

If it had come from pretty much anyone else Leon would’ve asked if that was an offer, but again, he knew Chris well enough to know what was going on in his mind. So he chuckled as he shook his head. “Like two months ago, give or take.” He already opened his mouth to go on, but Chris managed to cut him off before he got a word out.

“C’mon then, let’s go. I’ll be your wingman,” Chris already motioned towards the door, trying to urge his friend to get up and get moving. “You’ll easily find someone for the night, maybe that’ll relax you a little. You know I’m right!”

On some level, it was a tempting offer. Yet the thought of going out there and finding some _stranger_ to spend the night with wasn’t exactly very high on Leon’s to-do-list right now. The mere thought of hooking up with someone – someone other than Piers, that is – felt so immensely wrong that it wasn’t even an option. “No, Chris,” he said out loud, smiling at his friend apologetically, “I can’t.”

Chris frowned, confused. “Why not?”

Leon hesitated a little. He had no idea what this thing between him and Piers was, if he was honest with himself. It felt like something that had breezed past the landmark of casual hook-ups and into the land of actual relationships, but… they hadn’t actually talked about it. They hadn’t put a label on it, and Leon couldn’t help but think that he was getting too attached too easily. Maybe it still was just something fun, something entertaining, for the younger man. So the answer came out more a question than a statement. “I’m… kind of seeing someone?”

“You’re seeing someone but you haven’t gotten laid in months?” Chris asked, looking like he doubted the whole thing, like he thought it was just an excuse. 

“It’s. Kind of a long distance thing?”

That now made Chris seem even more curious. “Anyone I know?”

Logically Leon knew he could tell Chris anything, could talk to him and not be judged. They were family, best friends and brothers in all the ways that mattered. But somehow he was hesitant to share. Maybe it was because voicing it out loud would’ve made it all more real, more solid. Or maybe he was just afraid of jinxing it and wanted to keep it to himself. Whatever it was, he dodged the question. “I’ll… tell you later.”

Chris shrugged easily, obviously not about to press the matter. “Okay. But at least come with me. I need a drink.”

*

Three beers and as many shots later they were both pleasantly tipsy, warmth spreading into their bones and easing away some of the tension that had coiled in them during these past few days. They’d started out in a weird, melancholy mood, both recounting the latest that had happened since they last had gotten the chance to spend any time together outside of being on a job. Slowly the mood shifted, though, until they got to the point where Chris was vividly recounting the last time he’d gone out with his teammates.

The easy mood made Leon relax, made him remember how to be a functional human being next to someone else, instead of how he’d been moping alone for days. There was a short silence after Chris was done with his story, and Chris was still chuckling at some of the antics he’d recounted. Something in the openness in his eyes made Leon feel like maybe he’d want to share, after all. So he grabbed one of the full shot glasses from the table in front of them, downed it in one go and slammed the empty glass back on the table. “Piers.” He said the name decisively, like it explained everything. 

Obviously it didn’t, as Chris just turned to look at him, a deep crease to his brow. “What?”

“It’s Piers,” Leon repeated, meeting his friend’s gaze straight. He was itching to grab another shot, but he held back, as he felt that he needed to be clear enough in the head for this conversation. “I’m sleeping with Piers.”

“Piers?” Chris frowned as he obviously hadn’t connected the dots yet. Then one could clearly see how the penny dropped, how realization dawned on his face as his eyes flew wide. “Nivans? My–” 

“Yes, that’s the man,” Leon interrupted quickly, a little too loudly. He was suddenly even more nervous, his palms clammy and his throat dry, as he stared at Chris waiting for his reaction. Chris had basically taken Piers under his wing from the moment they’d hired the young sniper into the BSAA, and he was almost like a big brother to him, too. And Chris’ opinion _mattered_. So the longer the pause got, the more nervous Leon was, nervous enough to cut in. “So, are you going to tell me off..?”

“Nah,” Chris shrugged, shaking his head a little as if to clear it. Then there was a hint of a grin tugging at his lips, his expression softening from the surprise to something that was mostly curiosity. “I was just surprised. I thought I was more observant than this. How long has it been going on?”

“Well,” Leon grimaced a little, and this time he did grab a drink. Not one of the shots, though, but instead a beer that he took a sip from to ease his parched throat. Only after that he went on. “Remember his birthday party? Yeah.”

“Oh.” Chris looked like he was piecing things together in his mind, as he absent-mindedly nodded more than once, turning his glass in his hands instead of drinking from it. Suddenly a bright grin blossomed on his face. “You’re welcome.”

That now made absolutely zero sense, and it was Leon’s turn to be confused. “What?”

Chris raised his glass as if he was offering a toast, the grin on his face even widening if that was humanly possible. “I was the one who dragged you into that party, kicking and screaming, so _you’re welcome_.”

Oh, that was true, Leon thought as he finally remembered. He hadn’t even wanted to go out that night, but Chris had somehow convinced him and told him it could be fun to hang out with people that were at least allies, if not outright friends. “Thank you,” he said obediently, chuckling at the way Chris was taking this. He couldn’t help it, though, couldn’t be happy with the easy acceptance and just _had to_ go turn it more serious. “Don’t tell him I told you. I’m not… I don’t know if he wants anyone to know. I don’t even know if we’re actually _dating_ , or if it’s just great sex whenever we get the chance.”

“You like him, though, don’t you?” Chris asked, and only waited for as long as it took for Leon to nod in response. “Then what’s the problem? It’s cool.”

“Why aren’t you more freaked out than this?” 

“C’mon, Leon,” Chris’ expression softened, and he even reached out to place his palm on Leon’s wrist, the touch warm and comforting. “With the way our lives are it’s hard enough to find someone willing to put up with it at all. And to find someone who _gets_ it? Even harder. I’d say just count your blessings and be happy about it.”

“I guess.” Slowly Leon nodded, letting out the breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. Of course he knew Chris well enough and hadn’t expected him to outright lash out, but Chris also tended to be direct and honest, unwilling to sugarcoat anything, so if he had thought his a bad idea he would’ve said it, too. Relief washing over him Leon leaned back, a grin finding its way to his face. “Besides, he is _phenomenal_ in bed, like the way–”

“ _No_ ,” Chris stopped him in his tracks, but he was laughing even as he shook his head and held up his hands as if to shield himself from the words. “I do not want any details, gross, it’s like hearing Claire tell me about her sex life.”

They both knew what would follow even before Leon continued with “How about the time when–” They’d waltzed through this discussion so many times in the past that it was like a well-worn blanket, like an inside joke that they reverted back to time and time again. 

“ _No_!” Chris cried out, eager to stop Leon before he got any further. “I don’t care if you and Claire only did it once when you’d just met and you were both drunk, I didn’t want to hear about it fifteen years ago and I don’t want to hear about it now!” He huffed theatrically, even rolled his eyes, but the smile was like stuck on his face all along. “Jesus Christ, why was I cursed with siblings like this?”

Leon said nothing, instead just raised his beer to clink their glasses together. It always warmed him inwardly when either one of the Redfields referred to him as a part of their family, one way or the other. He didn’t have any other family, hadn’t talked to either of his parents in a decade and had no siblings, so it felt immensely comforting to know there were people in this world who considered him part of _their_ family. 

A treacherous part of his brain, somewhere in the dark back corners, kept telling him that he might have found a new person to call family in Piers. But he pushed it down, ignored it, didn’t allow it to even become a conscious thought. He didn’t even know if this would last. He had no idea if Piers saw him as anything other than a pleasant distraction. And he wasn’t ready to find out. Not yet.

*

It was dark when Piers stepped outside, instinctively pulling his jacket tighter around himself to shield against the wind. He only managed two steps before there was a distinct feeling of being watched, and he was immediately on alert. Inwardly he cursed that he didn’t have anything that’d qualify as a weapon with him, but the annoyance melted into pure confusion soon enough. He came to a halt, turning around, and spotted her.

Ada Wong. 

Piers frowned, still tense and ready to defend himself if necessary, even if he tried to outwardly appear as calm as possible. “What are you doing here?” He knew he probably should’ve let her start the conversation, not give her the advantage of showing any interest, any weakness, but he couldn’t help but blurt out the question. 

There was a small smile dancing on Ada’s lips and she shifted, stepping out of the shadows and under the harsh light of the lamp so that she was clearly visible. “I was just in the neighborhood.” Her voice was like honey, smooth and in control, like she had no care in the world. Elegantly she shrugged, tilting her head a little as she looked at him. “So I thought I’d come and size up the competition.”

At first there was cold dread brewing in the pit of Piers’ stomach, and he was frantically going through everything in his mind in case he could figure out what she was doing here. If she was here for a job that definitely wasn’t a good sign, for anyone involved. Then something else caught his attention, though. “Competition?” 

“Oh,” she said, mouth a perfect ‘o’, before her face morphed into a pleased smile. She was only that easy to read because she wanted to be, that much was clear. “Leon hasn’t told you?” She took a step closer, then another one, stopping an arm’s length from him. “About our on-and-off relationship? It might be on pause right now, but you know, eventually it’ll be on again. He can’t stay away from me.” She almost purred. 

A flash of anger shot through Piers, anger mixed with jealousy and irritation and worry and all the things he didn’t want to focus on long enough to name them. A part of him wanted to just punch her right in the face but he refrained from that, trying – and failing – to sound calm and uninterested. “What do you want from me?”

“Nothing,” she went on, giving another small shrug, “I was just genuinely curious. I looked you up, and couldn’t really understand what’s kept him entertained for this long.” She looked at him, shamelessly sizing him up from head to toe, allowing her gaze to linger wherever she so wished. The faint hint of a smile widened, into something sharper. “But I gotta say, you look better in person. Of course I always knew he had taste.”

The entire conversation was making Piers so wildly uncomfortable he decided he couldn’t deal with it anymore. So he mumbled a “Whatever.” under his breath and turned around, walking away from her like she had nothing to interest him. A part of him wanted to shake her for explanations, but he didn’t want to give her the satisfaction of seeing she’d managed to get under his skin. 

“I’m just saying this to be nice!” Ada called after him, even though she didn’t even try to follow. “Don’t get too attached!”

Determinedly Piers walked away.

*

In all honesty, Piers forgot all about the entire exchange the moment he saw Leon again. Maybe for a second there was a nagging thought in the back of his mind telling him there had been something he’d wanted to talk about, something that he should’ve remembered to bring up. Only for a second, though. Then Leon was kissing him, leaning into him like his life depended on it, and everything else practically evaporated from his mind.

Later they were lying in bed, right next to one another, shoulder to shoulder, neither willing to move an inch. It was warm and comfortable, and for the first time in weeks Piers felt like all the tension seeped out of him, leaving him pleasantly relaxed and sleepy. He was already about to drift off when Leon started talking in a low voice. “I had the shittiest few weeks,” he admitted. He sounded just so _tired_ , so done with everything. 

Slowly Piers nodded. He turned his head a little towards Leon, but the other man was staring at the ceiling unblinkingly, probably not even seeing a thing. It was dark in the room but not so dark Piers couldn’t make out Leon’s profile. “Wanna talk about it?” he asked, reaching out to place a palm onto Leon’s shoulder. It made Leon close his eyes so Piers left his hand there, brushing over soft skin with his thumb. 

“No, not really.” Leon shrugged awkwardly. “You know how it is. Losing people.” 

“From what I heard you also saved quite a bunch,” Piers pointed out softly. He knew, from experience, that it didn’t always help. Focusing on the people they’d helped might take the worst edge off the pain and the guilt, but it never took them away entirely. 

Leon made a noncommittal sound, but he didn’t argue. He even managed a hint of a smile, and after a quiet pause he broke the silence again. “How about you? Any heroics I didn’t yet hear about?” There was a teasing lilt to his voice, a welcome change from the hollowness from before. 

“No casualties, for once,” Piers answered, honest relief clear as day in his tone. It was laced with something like pride, as he couldn’t deny he was extremely content that his first time being in charge had turned out so well. Then he thought of something, or _someone_ , and before he could second-guess himself he brought it up. “I met someone interesting, though.” At that Leon tilted his head and looked at him, and Piers didn’t wait for him to ask before he went on. “She talked about you. Seemed to be awfully possessive.”

The expression of mild interest morphed into clear surprise on Leon’s face, his eyes flying wide as he stared at the younger man. For a good while he said nothing, clearly at a loss for words. Then he cleared his throat, wet his lips, hesitated a little before asking “Ada?” He seemed to have already put together two and two, so he didn’t need more than a slight nod. “What did she–? Did she threaten you?”

“No, not really,” Piers answered honestly. It had been awkward and uncomfortable, but she hadn’t exactly seemed threatening. She’d been… so certain of herself it was like she hadn’t even bothered with threats. “She said it’s just a matter of time until you’ll end up back with her. So she obviously didn’t think she needed to bother with that.”

There was a pause, during which neither of them said anything. Leon was obviously still processing the information, and Piers didn’t want to push. He couldn’t deny though that there was a little bit of nervousness brewing in him. Although he didn’t think that Leon would suddenly run off and straight to Ada, it would’ve been nice to hear it out loud, too.

Finally Leon found his words. “I haven’t even seen her since China,” he started, slow and measured. He shifted until he was looking at the ceiling again, as if it was easier to talk without the eye contact. “We… I was twenty-one when I met her, okay. I was a kid, fresh off the academy, stupid and trusting. And you know how Raccoon City was, any ally was better than none.”

“I’m not–” 

“I know,” Leon interrupted. “I just. The thing between her and me? It was never built to be anything real.” 

It was an honest statement, words dropping like stones into the darkness of the room. Hesitantly, Piers asked “Would you want it to be?”

“Why?” Again Leon tilted his head and looked at Piers, an amused sparkle in his eyes and a slight quirk to his lips. “You jealous?”

Piers huffed. “Yeah, I kind of am.” Despite him trying to keep it light, it was definitely half-joking, half-serious. He wasn’t stupid or blind, he did realize how attractive Ada was. And there seemed to be quite a bit of backstory there, history that was bound to weigh in on decisions even now. So no matter how much he liked to think that they were on the same page, that they were both in this for real, he didn’t actually _know_. 

To his relief Leon propped himself up with his elbow and wordlessly leaned in. The kiss was slow, quite unlike the ones they’d exchanged earlier when they’d barely been able to slow down enough for proper breathing. Even afterwards Leon stayed closer, shifting until he could throw an arm around Piers’ waist. “Don’t be,” he said finally, “I haven’t even seen her in years. And I prefer it that way. I’m too old for that shit.”

There was a stubborn smile on Piers’ lips whether he wanted it or not. If only Ada would’ve heard that, would’ve seen them here, like this. She might not have believed how things had developed. Determinedly Piers pushed all thoughts of her off his mind, though, focusing on the shared warmth. Focusing on _them_. 

“I haven’t been seeing anyone else. Since… y’know, my birthday.” He practically only whispered the words into the darkness. It made him feel stupid, really, how his heartbeat picked up at the admission, how he nearly held his breath as he waited for a reply.

The breath rushed out of him with all of the anxiousness the second Leon replied with a soft “Me neither.”

*

Leon opened the door to Piers standing there, but before he even managed to react in any way he was greeted with a grin and a “Get your coat. We’re going out.” Piers looked really good, like he’d put real effort into his appearance, and it was something Leon wasn’t really used to. Of course the man was always gorgeous if one asked him, hot as all hell, but usually they met up after a mission or in the middle of the night or when they were both exhausted and not necessarily at their best.

So even if it was just a yellow shirt and a denim jacket, paired with dark jeans that fit snugly around his hips, he looked quite dashing. And Leon shamelessly checked him out, not even trying to be discreet about it. Obediently he grabbed his coat and pulled it on, arching a questioning eyebrow. “Wanna tell me what’s going on?”

“C’mon,” Piers grinned at him, bumping his shoulder with his own. “If we’re actually dating then let me take you out on a proper date. When was the last time you had one of those?” He looked excited, in a thoroughly charming boyish kind of way. “Dinner and movies?”

“Ooh, classic.” Leon grinned. It sounded good though, he couldn’t deny. It had been so long since he’d last been on a real date that he didn’t even remember when that had happened. Sure there had been nights out at the bar and picking someone up there, and he might have gone out for dinner when he had a semi-steady relationship like… four years ago? Or was it five? He shook the thoughts out of his head. “I didn’t think you were that old-fashioned,” he went on, teasing. 

“Shut up,” Piers replied, with no heat to it. He waited until Leon had locked the door behind himself, before grabbing a hold of his leather jacket to yank him in for a kiss. It was quick, he pulled back before it could evolve into anything too heated. They had places to be.

Neither of them was dressed for anything too fancy, and truth to be told, neither of them really was into fancy dining that required a proper dress code. They didn’t have a reservation, but wandered around until they found a place that grabbed their attention. Luckily there were several free tables and they didn’t need to wait for their turn. 

The dinner itself was a relaxed affair. It felt easy and domestic, like it was something they did all the time. Leon hadn’t even realized how much he’d been yearning for companionship like this, not before he noticed that he was grinning like an idiot at whatever it was Piers was recounting, whether it was an actually funny story or something dreadfully boring. It was just really nice to spend time with someone without any expectations tacked onto it. 

Piers even insisted on paying for the dinner, blushing prettily as Leon teased him about it. He gained a quick kiss for his troubles though, and judging by the grin he couldn’t shake afterwards it was more than enough appreciation. And Leon couldn’t deny he was more than a little charmed by how earnest and genuine Piers was about everything. He hadn’t done dating like this since he was a teenager, so it made sense there were butterflies in his stomach. Nothing to read too much into, he kept telling himself. 

When they got to the movie theater they skimmed through the available selection. They’d found a nice little place that showed the most random selection of movies either of them had ever seen. Even standing there side by side, shoulder to shoulder, was something that made Leon want to keep on smiling goofily. He nudged Piers with his shoulder, smirking at him. “How about we pick the most boring one so we can sneak into the back row and make out like teenagers?” 

Laughing, Piers arched an eyebrow at him. “What if I wanted to actually see a good movie? There are a few I’ve got my eye on.” He nodded towards the giant posters, even as he kept on grinning at the other man. 

Although Leon knew that was a joke, he couldn’t help but to melt into a soft smile, affection clear as day in his voice as he spoke. “I’m okay with that. You choose. Whichever you want. I’ll get us some popcorn.” 

“You’re really going to _eat more_ after all of that dessert you _inhaled_?” Piers asked, entirely ignoring the fact that he had eaten the same exact dessert and definitely had no leg to stand on. 

Leon pretended to be shocked. “You _wound me_. If you really think we can watch a movie without the proper snacks that’s it. I’m dumping you.” He didn’t wait for a reply, though, but took a couple of steps backwards before already heading to get the desired movie snacks. Probably to be petty he bought the biggest available tub of popcorn, even if he knew he wouldn’t be able to finish even half of it. He even got some gummy worms to have a sweet snack, too, and bought two large sodas. 

When he got back he looked at Piers expectantly, but there was no comment offered to his copious purchases. So he stopped right next to the younger man, flashing him a thankful smile as he grabbed the drinks so that Leon didn’t need to continue to precariously balance them all in his hands. “So what are we watching?” Leon asked. 

Piers hid a smile. “Dawn of the Dead?”

“Really?” Leon pulled a face. “A zombie movie?”

The careful mask cracked a little and Piers let it go, chuckling. “Well it’s either that or Pride and Prejudice.” 

“Pride and Prejudice it is.” Leon placed a palm onto Piers’ waist and pulled him along, smirking a little at the laughter that bubbled out of the younger man. They got enough zombies in their real, actual lives, and Leon wasn’t going to subject himself to a movie about it no matter how good or how big of a classic it was. He could distinguish fact from fiction, sure, but that didn’t mean he wanted to be reminded of what horrid things were actually out there. 

Besides, it ended up being a good pick. Turned out that Piers had a soft spot for romantic movies (“Mom forces me to watch them.” “Sure, sure.”) and he knew all of the lines by heart, and for the first half an hour he kept whispering along to the movie. Leon may have found that incredibly endearing, but he said nothing as he tried to destroy as much of the popcorn as he possibly could. 

The gummy worms got Piers interested in the snacks, too. He kept stealing them one by one, until Leon just shoved the entire bag into his hand, telling him to go for it. 

The theater was nearly empty. There were three people sitting almost at the front, laughing and chatting in low voices, obviously enjoying themselves. In addition to them there was a couple sitting to the far left, seeing none of the movie as they were far too focused on each other. When Leon spotted them he nudged Piers with his elbow, leaning in to whisper in his ear. “They know how to take full advantage of a nearly empty movie theater.”

“Are you suggesting something?” Piers smirked, tilting his head just enough to catch Leon’s eyes with his own. He didn’t wait for a reply, instead going in for a kiss. It tasted of the gummy worms, but even the artificial flavoring wasn’t off-putting as they took their time with it, the movie forgotten on the background. 

Eventually they were both grinning so much it was difficult to keep it up anymore. Piers threw another gummy worm into his mouth and settled back comfortably in his seat. “Now can I watch the rest of the movie?” he asked, amusement evident in his voice even with how hoarse it was, how breathless the row of kisses had left him. 

Leon laughed as he shifted so he was practically leaning against Piers’ shoulder, and obediently shifted his focus back to the movie.

*

Compartmentalizing was something Piers had gotten really good at. He was able to push everything else to the background, to tuck all the distractions into neat little boxes in his mind, so that he could only focus on the task at hand and what needed to be done. He could bull-headedly power through just about anything, if he set his mind to it.

The downside to that was that sometimes right after the pressure eased up, all of the things he’d set aside came flooding back to him. Usually he withdrew, took some time alone to piece himself back together, until he felt like a functional human being again. He didn’t like it when others saw him at his worst, didn’t want to show the cracks in his shell to anyone. 

So of course it was exactly a moment like that when he ran into Ada Wong again.

In all honesty, there was no chance that it was an accident. Piers was under no illusion that a random grocery store two blocks from his apartment was a place Ada frequented, so there was no way that it was anything but planned. Piers had just gotten back, taken a detour only to grab at least something to eat as he was fairly sure there was nothing edible in his kitchen. And there, between the shelves in the empty market at almost midnight, Ada stood in the cereal aisle like she belonged there. 

At first Piers tried to turn on his heels and walk away, but she was quicker than him and sidestepped in one fluid movement to cut him off. “What do you want?” Piers growled, letting his distaste show. He was barely holding himself together, anyway, and all he wanted was to drop into bed and sleep for a week. He wasn’t equipped for an ambush like this. 

“I thought we had an understanding,” she said, voice like honey, a hint of a smile lingering on her lips. “And yet here we are, months later, and nothing’s changed.” She gave him a distasteful look, taking in his crumpled clothes and overall messy appearance. “Does it really take half a year for you to get through a simple break-up?”

“Get the hell out of here.” Even though Piers tried to sound intimidating, tried to pitch his voice as low as possible, he was so exhausted that nothing else radiated from his tone but the tiredness. He sounded defeated, he could hear it himself, but he didn’t _care_.

“I’m not going anywhere. One way or the other, I’ll win.” Ada took a step closer. She looked so put together, so perfect, that Piers sort of just wanted to shake her to see if anything would change. “Do it,” she practically snapped. “Break his heart so I don’t have to rip out yours.”

“Then fucking go for it!” Piers burst out. He was as surprised by his own voice as Ada was, but he soldiered on. There was no taking it back, the damage was already done, so what did he have to lose. “If you want to kill me in the middle of a cereal isle then what’s stopping you!?” There was a lump forming in his throat, his hands shaking so hard he could barely keep himself under control. 

Piers knew things could only spiral down from this, and in near panic he spun around and practically fled the building. Apparently his outburst had surprised Ada too, as she didn’t even try to stop him, made no move to follow. 

Thank fucking god. 

Later Piers had no idea how he actually managed to make it back to his apartment. He didn’t have any food as his grocery run had been so cruelly interrupted, but he didn’t really even care. All he wanted was the privacy of his own home, a lock on the door and four walls around him to let him have his breakdown in peace. 

Of course when he opened the door he realized immediately that he wasn’t alone. At first he thought that it was Ada, that she had followed him after all and somehow made it inside his apartment before he got there. He was already frantically trying to decide what the best course of action would be, but then all air left him in a rush as he realized it wasn’t Ada. 

It was Leon. 

Piers still felt like he was shaking apart at the seams, becoming entirely undone, so he didn’t even utter a word of greeting. He strode forward, crossed the room in quick steps, and grabbed a hold of Leon’s shirt as soon as he was in reach. Using the grip he pulled Leon in, kissed him like his life depended on it. Only distantly he realized that Leon had been saying something, had been talking out loud, but none of it had really registered in Piers’ hazy mind. 

The kiss had a desperate edge to it, and for a second it was enough to wipe everything else away from Piers’ mind. There was too much weighing on him, though, too many things piled up and making him flow over. As much as he tried he couldn’t help but whimper into Leon’s mouth, unable to hold back the fat tears that rolled down his cheeks as the kiss ended. 

“Hey, hey.” Leon pitched his voice as low and soothing as he could, gently placing his palms onto Piers’ shoulders to push him a little further. Only enough to be able to look at him, though, as he didn’t want to deny Piers the comfort the closeness seemed to bring him. “What’s wrong?” 

Instead of answering Piers hung his head, let out all the air from his lungs in a way that left him slumped forward, as if all fight had left him with the deep breath. He refused to meet Leon’s eyes even when Leon tried to tilt his head to look at him, so instead of pushing him Leon just wordlessly pulled him into his arms. Immediately Piers buried his face into Leon’s neck, drawing in big heaving breaths. His hands were shaking so much they were essentially useless, so he just fisted them into Leon’s shirt, held on to him the best he could.

“It’s okay.” Slowly Leon kept rubbing Piers’ back in soothing circles. “It’s okay,” he repeated, “I’ve got you.” Whatever it was that had gotten Piers this shaken up was obviously something he wasn’t ready to speak about just yet and Leon could respect that. When he felt the younger man relax against himself he slid his palms up, until he could cup Piers’ jaw and tilt his head up. 

The kiss that followed was slow, soothing even, and when it ended Piers noticed he was breathing easier, could finally make his voice work. “I’m sorry.” He still sounded shaken, but not on the verge of tears like he’d been just a moment before. “Sorry.”

“What’s going on?” Leon asked with so much concern it made something constrict in Piers’ chest. 

For a fleeting moment Piers wanted to talk about it all, wanted to open up about the mission and about everything that had gone wrong, wanted to tell Leon about Ada and how she was hounding him, wanted to tell him _everything_. Eventually he shook his head, though, squeezed his eyes shut as he forced the thoughts into the back of his mind. “It’s nothing,” he replied weakly, “the usual. A really shitty day.”

“What do you need?” Leon asked. His right palm was still cupping Piers’ jaw, thumb stroking slow circles onto the soft skin of his cheek. 

The gesture drew a small smile from Piers, his chest feeling a little lighter. “Just. Stay?” He wasn’t sure where that was coming from, as usually at moments like this he preferred solitude and wanted to pick up the pieces of himself in peace. Yet now… now it felt as if Leon’s presence was like soothing balm on aching wounds, and he didn’t want to let that go. 

“I’m not going anywhere.” Even though the worry was still evident in Leon’s voice, in his eyes, he didn’t push, he didn’t question. Instead he just helped Piers out of his coat and pulled him along. 

In silence they got ready for bed. Not a word was exchanged, but it felt achingly domestic, like it was something they’d been doing for years. When they were finally under the covers Piers shifted closer, wrapped an arm around Leon’s middle and tucked his face into his neck, holding on to him. A wave of gratefulness washed through him at being allowed to do this, at having someone there to draw strength from, but he didn’t manage to even vocalize any of that.

So instead Piers set out to show it. He pressed his lips against Leon’s jaw, mouthed a line along it until he reached Leon’s mouth and could kiss him properly, slow and sweet. He slid his palm to Leon’s neck, where he could feel the firm heartbeat under his fingertips. Somehow that solidified everything for him, made it _real_ , and as he kept counting the beats of Leon’s heart in his mind he could finally feel the last remains of the unease drain away. 

“You’re being unusually quiet,” Leon murmured against his lips as they broke apart for a moment. There was nothing accusatory in his voice, it was rather an observation. “Are you sure you don’t want to talk about it?” 

“I’m sure,” Piers answered, already shifting so he could push his knee between Leon’s. “I’d rather you distracted me.” 

“What did you have in mind?” Leon blinked up at him, feigning innocence, but he was already running his palms down Piers’ back, until he could slide his fingertips underneath the waistband of his boxers. That’s as far as he went for now, the touch barely teasing, but at the same time a promise of more. 

Piers allowed his eyes to fall shut, focused on the shared warmth and the solid body against his own. “I’m sure you can think of something.” He chuckled, finally moving his own hands so he could push them underneath the shirt Leon was wearing. In hindsight they probably should’ve known that they wouldn’t end up sleeping, not when it had been such a long time since they’d last seen one another. 

They were both laughing as they struggled to get out of the clothes they’d just put on minutes earlier, but the laughter soon melted into low breathy sighs and pleased moans, as restless hands started exploring in earnest. Leon was the one who lost his patience first, rolling them over so that he was hovering above the younger man, grinning down at him. His hair had fallen in his eyes, and automatically Piers reached up to card his fingers through the soft blond strands. 

Leon leaned into the touch, eyes half-lidded and the grin softening into something much more intimate. “What am I going to do with you,” he said, not really a question at all, and without waiting for an answer he initiated yet another slow kiss. “You’re all kinds of addictive,” he admitted as it broke, his voice so silent it was barely audible.

Still, the words were like water for someone dying of thirst, and Piers collected them all, saved them up and let them revive him. Sex had always been good for them, ever since they got together. But this time it felt like something had shifted, like something slotted together effortlessly and easily like never before. And to Piers it felt that with every touch, every inch of skin on skin, he was pieced back together until he felt like himself again. 

He wasn’t sure if the moment felt as emotionally loaded for Leon as it did for him, but he didn’t have enough presence of mind to even worry about that as he could barely keep himself focused enough to return the lazy kisses they shared. From the second Leon laced his fingers around Piers’ dick and started to slowly jerk him off, Piers was practically useless. It wasn’t like him to be so unable to focus, and he blamed the emotional strain the entire day had caused. All he could do was weakly arch up into the touch, whimper into Leon’s mouth as he was quickly brought to his limits. 

The orgasm was less an explosion and more a gradual build-up that bled through his consciousness, his breaths coming in shallow little gasps as he got lost in the sensations. Somewhere in the midst of it he had enough initiative to grab Leon’s ass and pull him close, aid him in his movements as he rolled his hips against Piers’ thigh. 

Piers tried to meet the movements the best he could, kept whispering incoherent encouragements into Leon’s ear, and clung to him to keep him as close as he possibly could. It didn’t even take long before Leon pressed his forehead against Piers’ shoulder and let out a muffled cry, his movements turning erratic and jerky, until he came with a shudder. 

Neither of them minded the mess right now, too tired to move for the first few moments. Piers was lying on his back, staring up at the ceiling without really seeing it at all, and Leon collapsed against him and stayed exactly where he’d landed. It felt like their limbs were too heavy to move, except for the way Piers kept running his fingers through Leon’s hair. He was practically petting the older man, and he could’ve sworn that Leon damn near purred with contentment. 

Sweat was rapidly cooling on their skin, making the room feel colder, and when he felt capable of movement Leon just reached out and pulled the covers over them, muttering something about helping with the laundry in the morning. Piers didn’t even deem that important enough to answer, as right now he couldn’t have cared less, truth to be told. 

Despite the tiredness, neither of them fell asleep, and eventually Leon was the one who spoke up first. “Sorry if I startled you by just …showing up. I didn’t mean to intrude.” he was still resting his head against Piers’ chest, didn’t even shift to look at him. 

“You didn’t,” Piers answered, didn’t even need to think about it. Sure he had been wary for a second, but as soon as he’d realized just who it was, he’d been nothing if not happy to see him. “I just forgot for a second that I gave you a key,” he admitted with a chuckle. And although he knew they weren’t really at the point where they exchanged sappy confessions, he couldn’t help but to add a soft “I’m glad you’re here.”

Leon didn’t answer, not with words, but instead turned his head just enough to press a soft kiss right onto Piers’ collarbone. 

For a good while they stayed silent again, and Piers kept running through the previous days in his mind. Except now that he wasn’t alone he felt much calmer about everything that had went down, could see things clearer and assess them without feeling like everything was his fault. He thought about Ada, too, about the exchange they’d had, but decided in the end not to say anything about it. She was clearly set in her views, but everything Leon had ever said and done spoke of the opposite, and Piers couldn’t really take her as a credible threat. 

“You know,” he drawled instead, the sleepiness already spreading into his mind, taking over the alertness. “I could empty out a drawer for you. If you wanted to keep a change of clothes here or something?” The words were slurred, and slowly his fingers came to a halt. He didn’t even manage to stay awake for long enough to hear the answer to his suggestion. His breaths turned even, sleep claiming him without a fight. 

Leon, however, couldn’t have been further from sleepy right now. The words sent a spike of panic through him and he was utterly relieved when he realized no answer was expected of him right now, as he truly didn’t know what he would’ve said. Sure they had been seeing each other for months already, it was practically the longest relationship he’d ever had in his _life_. Yet they hadn’t talked about commitment or settling down or any of those other things that Leon felt wholly unequipped for. 

There was absolutely nothing wrong with Piers. He was loyal and caring, fiercely stubborn and honest, unwavering in his beliefs and morals. All things Leon knew how to appreciate, even if he ignored how intensely attracted he was on a physical level. But the thing was, Leon could never live up to that himself. He was shit at this. He didn’t know how to hold on to a relationship, he didn’t know how to keep himself from fucking it up. At least if his past was any indication. There hadn’t been a single relationship in his past that he wouldn’t have destroyed.

And he didn’t want to do that to Piers. He didn’t want to put him through that. There was no way he was going to move his belongings into Piers’ apartment and play house with him. He wasn’t going to string him on when whatever they shared clearly wasn’t built to last.

Already thinking that felt like a stab in the gut, and Leon pushed the feeling down, ignored it until it faded. He’d known all along that this was going to end eventually. Piers would find someone he wanted to buy a house with, grow old with, someone who deserved a happily ever after with him. Someone who would love him and cherish him and take care of him on all of the levels that seemed so out of reach for Leon. 

Leon knew he should be happy he’d gotten to share at least this much with Piers. For the first time in his life he’d really gotten a glimpse of how it _could_ be, if a happy ending had been in the cards for him. Even after this would end, he could look back to it, could have the memories. Maybe, just maybe, he would get to keep this a little bit longer, for now. And then he would do the right thing and step aside, let Piers spend his life with someone worthy of him, someone who could help him grow to his full potential. He deserved as much. 

Finally the agitation faded, the fear receded, and Leon closed his eyes as he tried to will himself to relax. He listened to Piers’ slow, steady breaths, matched his own inhalations to them, and finally there was just the pleasant haze of almost-sleep, the shared warmth lulling him into a sense of security. 

Leon’s last thought before he fell asleep was how Piers would make someone very happy one day. He just wished it could’ve been him.

*

Piers forgot all about the suggestion he’d made when half-asleep. If Leon had brought it up and told him sure, he’d want to keep some of his things at Piers’ place, Piers would’ve said yes in a heartbeat and welcomed it with open arms, but although it sometimes crossed his mind he didn’t remember he’d already thrown the idea out there.

So things went by pretty much like they had, until then. They went days, sometimes weeks, without even hearing from each other at all. Then they’d meet up and sometimes it was long, sleepless nights when neither of them could get enough of the other, and sometimes it was cheesy dates and falling asleep curled up together. Either way, it was always worth it, more than that.

The downside was that before this, Piers had never really had anyone to get back home to. Sure he loved his parents and enjoyed visiting them, but it was entirely different. Those were trips planned well in advance, and his work had always taken priority. Now though? For probably the first time since he started working at the BSAA, Piers kept glancing at the clock on the wall every three minutes instead of focusing on the actual meeting at hand.

To be fair, it was entirely Leon’s fault. They hadn’t seen in _weeks_ , and then Leon had the audacity to text him with ‘ _don’t be too late, or I might have to entertain myself_ ’ like it was nothing. Sure the words were innocent enough. As was the picture that followed, it was a vague shot that mostly just showed Leon’s shoulders and chest, clothed in that dark blue button-up that was Piers’ favorite. But what got to him was the fact that it was _his couch_ that Leon was sprawled over. Leon was here. Waiting for him. 

And probably falling asleep on said couch because of how long the meeting was taking. Piers swallowed a sigh, trying his hardest to focus again. The half-finished report was in front of him and he was honestly giving it his best attempt but all he wanted was to look at the text he’d gotten, _again_. He’d read the text at least six times already, and even now it felt like his phone was burning a hole in his pocket as his fingers itched to dig it out. 

“Piers?” Chris’ voice pulled Piers’ attention towards him. “You with me?”

“I’m…” Piers stuttered a little, glancing around. How had he managed to space out and not notice they were now all alone in the room? Where the hell had everyone else gone? And when? 

Amusement flitted over Chris’ face, but then he was back to all-business, nodding towards the papers Piers was still holding. “Let’s just go through it once, for good measure. You’ve got time, right?” He was right to assume it, really, as ninety percent of the time the answer would’ve been an unhesitant ‘yes’. 

Now though, Piers only went through a brief internal conflict before he gave the smallest of headshakes. “Um. Could we do it tomorrow? Or on Monday? I had plans?” He hated how the last part came out a question instead of a statement, and although he knew that they really weren’t in that big of a hurry he felt like he was slacking off because he wanted to go home so badly. But it had been _so long_ since the last time he’d gotten to spend any time with Leon and, well, he was just a mere human. 

“Plans?” Chris arched an eyebrow, and if one knew how to look there was a hint of a grin lingering at the edges of his mouth. “What kind of plans?”

“Uhm. I’m.” Piers scrambled frantically for an explanation that wouldn’t be an outright lie, but somehow the words got jumbled in his mind and before he managed to stop himself he had already managed to somehow blurt out a “Leon and I–” and quickly tried to cover his tracks. “I mean, Agent Kennedy. He contacted… uhm. Information… We’re—”

Thankfully Chris had mercy on him before he managed to get both of his feet into his mouth and make an even bigger fool out of himself. “Don’t strain yourself, soldier.” Chris was openly grinning by now, obviously more than a little amused by the entire exchange. “I should’ve known when Leon texted me earlier that he’d be back today.” He leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms behind his head. “Just go. I’ll take care of this.”

“I—” Piers couldn’t get a real reply out at first. What a blubbering idiot had he turned into? Inwardly he cursed himself for that, but refused to acknowledge the blush creeping up his cheeks. Instead he stomped on the embarrassment, managing a fairly steady “Really?”

“Go already,” Chris made a dismissive gesture, waving at the general direction of the door. “Tell him he owes me one.”

Piers wasn’t proud of how he practically fled the room, and he could’ve sworn he heard Chris laughing after him. That had been the opposite of smooth, not at all the way Piers had wanted Chris to find out about what was going on between him and Leon. Not only was Chris his captain, someone he respected and looked up to, but he was also Leon’s best friend, damnit. His opinion mattered probably more than anyone else’s, outside the two of them, and Piers had wanted to talk to him about it rationally, like man to man, when the time was right for it.

Instead he had blubbered like a nervous, lovesick teenager and made an absolute idiot of himself. Great. 

So when Piers finally got home, the first thing he blurted out to Leon was “I think I accidentally outed us to the captain today.” before he even got an actual greeting out. 

“Chris?” Leon looked surprised, but that only lasted for a second before he burst out laughing, eyes alight with amusement. “Oh _he knows_. He’s known for _months_.” 

The words made Piers go through the conversation he’d had with Chris once again in his mind, and true enough, he had sounded like he’d already known. Only Piers had been too flustered to actually notice what should’ve been obvious. “And you didn’t bother to tell me?” Piers growled in mock-annoyance, and when he stepped closer he gave Leon’s shoulder a small push. “I made myself look like an idiot!”

Leon didn’t hurry to answer, but instead leaned in until he could connect their lips in a slow, sweet kiss. His fingers found their way to Piers’ neck, as he shifted closer, pressed in until they were practically holding one another upright right there in the middle of the living room. And with every second that passed, every soft brush of Leon’s fingers against the nape of his neck, Piers relaxed until even the hints of the embarrassment and the frustration were gone. 

“Don’t worry about it,” Leon said as they finally broke apart. There was a grin dancing on his lips, amusement glinting in his eyes, and he huffed out a soft laugh. “Besides, I know how much Chris respects you. It’d take a lot more than a bit of embarrassing babbling for him to think any less of you.”

Unable to hold back a smile, Piers already shifted to sink further into the embrace. “Really?”

“Do you even need to ask?” Leon shook his head a little, but he didn’t seem to be bothered by the question, more like fondly exasperated. “I swear, if I didn’t know better I’d be jealous as _fuck_. You sound like you have a gigantic crush on him.”

“No!” Piers denied, before he realized that he was being teased. Petulantly, he huffed. “I just—” He was already prepared to launch into an explanation on how his job was important to him, how he felt that he was making a difference in the world, how he wanted to do his best and not let his superiors down. On how Captain Redfield had taken him under his wing, like a father-figure or a big brother, or some other mushy sentimental crap like that. 

He never got that far, though. Not before Leon kissed him again, shorter this time. “Seriously,” Leon said, “I get it. And _really_. You’ve got nothing to worry about. Everyone who’s ever worked with you knows how good you are.” 

Unable to find suitable words for a reply, Piers was the one who initiated the next kiss. It had been so long since they’d last met that he had expected they would’ve stumbled into bed by now, and that they would’ve been wearing a lot less at least. Not that he minded the way they were now, getting lost in the unhurried touches and kisses.

They ended up on the couch, Piers on his back and Leon on top of him, straddling his hips. Yet the kisses kept turning slower, lazier, until they were basically just basking in the closeness without even _doing_ anything. Leon huffed out a laugh, pressed his nose against Piers’ cheek and closed his eyes. “How about we just watch a movie and fall asleep on the couch?” he suggested, both amusement and tiredness evident in his voice. 

The first answer was a low hum, followed by a nod that Leon felt instead of seeing. He still kept his eyes closed, relaxing against the other man as he felt a warm palm trace up his back, all the way to his neck. It was so nice he almost felt like he could fall asleep right then and there, and if he hadn’t been so tired he might’ve been alarmed by how much he enjoyed the moment. 

The thing was, Leon wasn’t used to anything like this. His relationships had always been …tumultuous, physical, and as much as he had always been secretly romantic at heart he’d never been good at showing it. And his relationships had always been so distinctly different from his friendships. The Redfields were huggers, and he’d gotten used to the casual physical affection with them. But with anyone he’d ever dated? Not so much. 

Things had never gotten serious enough. He’d never allowed anyone close enough. 

For the first time ever, it felt like he was actually real, proper _friends_ with the person he was dating. And it had all happened completely by accident. 

Leon didn’t have the time to dwell on that for longer, though. Piers gave his back a little pat, before nudging his shoulder gently. “C’mon then. Get up. I’ll get us some snacks and you’ll pick the movie.” He chuckled lowly when Leon didn’t move immediately. “We’ll need to pick an exciting one or you’ll be asleep before you see even half of it.”

“C’mon, I’m not that old,” Leon argued, but he didn’t even try to hide his grin. Instead he did as he’d been told and heaved himself upright. 

“Maybe not old,” Piers answered, already up on his feet, brushing his fingers through Leon’s hair in passing, “but tired. You look like you’re ready to pass out. When was the last time you slept?”

Leon didn’t answer immediately, partly because he was searching for the TV-remote and partly because he honestly couldn’t remember and had to think about it. He ended up just shrugging, even if Piers obviously couldn’t see that all the way from the kitchen. He flipped through the channels, not really in the mood for anything he found. Eventually he settled on a hockey game, thinking it might as well run on the background until he’d inevitably fall asleep. Piers could always change the channel if he wanted to. 

Thankfully Piers didn’t push for an answer to the question as he got back with two bottles of beer and a bag of salted chips. He tossed the bag onto the table, settling on the couch next to Leon, and handed him one of the bottles. “What’re we watching?” he asked, and kicked his feet up onto the table. “Bruins against Senators? I can already now tell you how that’s gonna end.”

“Yeah I know,” Leon chuckled, “but it might be entertaining anyway.” 

It was kind of a boring game, in all honesty. Yet there hadn’t been a game boring enough in existence – not at least as far as Leon knew – that it wouldn’t have gotten Piers drawn into it. Even when the game hit 6 to 1 and it was obvious how it would end, Piers instinctively tensed every time something even remotely exciting happened on ice. He’d long ago stopped lounging on the couch, instead leaning forward closer to the screen. 

Meanwhile Leon had settled sideways onto the couch, leaning into the corner as he practically tucked his feet under Piers’ thigh. He’d already long ago set his empty beer bottle down, as had Piers, and the bag of chips lay forgotten onto the table. Some of the tiredness had evaporated, and Leon just sat there, enjoying the easygoing mood and thoroughly entertained by watching Piers react to the game.

Suddenly Piers threw his hands up in a frustrated gesture, bursting out a “Oh c’mon!” Obviously nothing short of appalled, he turned towards Leon, and how he managed to get this heated over a game he wasn’t even really invested in was really …kind of charming. “Did you _see that_!? That’s slashing if I ever sa–” 

He was shut up effectively when Leon leaned in and captured his lips with his own. Automatically Piers responded to it, even if a little distractedly as he was taken off guard, hadn’t expected it at all. Once Leon pulled back Piers just stared at him for a second, instinctively licking his lips. “What was that for?” he asked. He’d completely forgotten the rant he’d been about to launch into, instead looking a bit dazed from the surprising kiss. 

Leon shrugged a little, his eyes sparkling amusedly as he smirked at the younger man. “You’re just really cute.” 

That made a tiny, barely noticeable blush dust over Piers’ neck, but he pretended like it wasn’t even there and instead tried to smile as cockily as he could. “You just wanted to shut me up because you have no idea about this. Do you even know the difference between hooking and slashing?”

“ _Oh_ ,” Leon laughed. He kicked the other man’s thigh a little, gently enough not to really hurt but firm enough to make a point. “I’ll have you know you’re not the only one here who used to play hockey as a kid!” He let the grin take over, nodding slowly as if to emphasize his words as Piers looked at him disbelievingly. For full disclosure, Leon added after a second, though “…now I haven’t even skated in like twenty years. But I used to be good!”

“ _That_ I have no trouble believing,” Piers admitted immediately, something even admiring in the way he looked at the other man. “Let me guess, you played forward?”

Leon nodded. “Takes one to know one,” he added after a beat.

“Oh no, you got that wrong!” Piers shook his head, patting his own chest almost proudly. “Defense all the way!” It seemed that he’d finally processed the new bit of information, as he went on excitedly, even pulled his knee onto the couch so he could turn to face the other man better. “Next time we’re playing with the guys, you should come with. Show off a bit of those skills!”

There was this weird warm feeling in Leon’s chest, and he chalked it up to appreciating the invitation, to being included in the plans so casually. There was a very real chance that the real reason for the feeling was the excited little grin on Piers’ lips, the genuine sparkle in his eyes, or any of the other little things that were heart-skippingly charming if one asked Leon. Yet he refused to examine those feelings any more carefully, instead hiding behind a joke. “Bold of you to assume I wouldn’t fall flat on my ass the second I step on ice.”

The answer was instantaneous. “ _Bullshit_. You know that!” Slowly the grin on Piers’ face widened and he arched an eyebrow questioningly. “Unless you’d rather practice with less pressure? I can take you out on an ice rink for Christmas. I’ll hold your hand and buy you hot chocolate and everything. Like a true gentleman.” 

“Oh what a _charmer_ ,” Leon snickered. Despite that, he leaned in and stole another kiss, took his time with it and only pulled back when he’d thoroughly gotten his fill. He meant to tease, meant to make it sound like a joke, but the words burst out of him frighteningly genuine. Almost a little breathless. A lot fond, and clearly, definitely, _utterly_ smitten. “You sweep me off my feet.”

*

Some days were just utter shit.

Some missions were doomed to fail already before they began. 

Yet even after the decades he had been in this, Leon still took all of those as personal failures. No matter what his rational mind said he always had this nagging thought in the back of his mind telling him that he could’ve been quicker, smarter, stronger, _better_ , and that it was his damn responsibility that he didn’t save everyone. Maybe after time passed, and the wounds scabbed over, he could see things more objectively. But his first instinct was always to beat himself up for being such a failure.

Hunnigan only looked at him from sad eyes and told him _go home, get some rest. It’s not your fault, Leon, stop dwelling on it. You did all you could_. But that wasn’t true, now was it? He hadn’t done everything he could’ve done, not if he was the one standing here relatively unharmed after he had watched so many innocent lives wasted. Home was the last place he wanted to be right now. He knew that the second he’d step inside the walls would just close in on him, fall in until they’d crush him.

The only thing going through Leon’s mind was that he didn’t want to go home, didn’t want to be alone, and when he realized he had gotten to the street Piers lived in, he was really confused for a second. It only lasted for a beat, though, before the confusion melted away and it felt just _right_ , like this was exactly where he was supposed to be. Exactly who he was supposed to be with. So he dropped by at the diner they frequented – the waiter even recognized him – and got them food to go, before heading the rest of the way to Piers’ apartment complex.

He got up to the sixth floor, rang the doorbell, and when no one answered he eventually let himself in with the key he’d gotten. 

As he stood there in the middle of Piers’ living room, in the dark, watching the lights of the city through the window, he felt like the mere knowledge of where he was already made some of the tension seep off him. Even though Piers wasn’t home now, he would be soon, and Leon could wait, he could wait and he would wait, he would stay right here until Piers would walk through that door and fucking _hold_ him. And maybe then things would be alright.

Then.

Suddenly. 

It hit him. 

Up until now, for the past twenty years, Leon had always come to either of the Redfield siblings when he felt like he was shaking apart at the seams. They were like a brother and a sister to him and they were always there, solid as bedrock, always the one constant in his life that wasn’t changing and he could count on. Now though? Piers had been his first thought. It had been pure _instinct_ to come to Piers instead. He’d _yearned_ for that, for the closeness, for the support he knew he would get. 

And the realization scared him shitless. 

What was he supposed to do in a situation like this? How was he supposed to let Piers go, _ever_ , if he was in it this deep himself? And how the hell had he allowed himself to slip this far?

He was in love.


End file.
